


The Warbler

by TheWhiteOwl



Series: The Warbler [1]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-09-13 17:07:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 140,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9133336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWhiteOwl/pseuds/TheWhiteOwl
Summary: Kurt is a famous actor and singer who gets threatening messages and phone calls. One night his house is attacked and his manager suggests him to hire a bodyguard... Or better a whole team, the Warblers. Things just turn more complicated when Kurt finds out that the Warblers' leader is none other than Blaine Anderson, his former one-night stand.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I just made myself an AO3 account and chose this old favourite of mine to publish first. It's fully written, so I will try to be quick with the updates, although I have some more editing to do.  
> English is not my first language, so sorry for the mistakes.

Kurt grabbed his drink and emptied the glass with one gulp. He knew he shouldn't have agreed to go on a blind date, especially one that Rachel had arranged for him. But here he was, sitting in a pub with a handsome but annoying stranger and he could go nowhere.

"You have to move out and live" Rachel said. "You're still too young to spend your nights between the four walls."

So he had agreed to meet Rich, a young blond man who did pirate reenanctments and was a psychic. Okay, when Kurt heard this sentence, he almost ran out of the bar. The last thing he needed was some lunatic bothering him with his 'visions' but since Rachel was waiting for him at home and he had promised her that he would give Rich a chance, he stayed. But after listening to the man's babble for almost an hour, Kurt just wanted to get drunk and forget that this night ever happened.

As if he hadn't had more important things to care about... There was a premiere coming, he had to finish his first book, his new album and on the top of that, there were the threats he had to deal with lately. 

Of course, he had gotten threats earlier. He had been the only openly gay person back in high school, the weird boy with strange clothes, and the football team's members had liked to torture him. When he had moved to New York and become popular, it had gone even worse. There had been people hating him for his success and he had to learn how to shelter himself from those people. And he had managed pretty well so far.

But it had started over a few weeks earlier and it had been much horrible than before. He had gotten letters and phone calls form a stranger, telling him that he should retire before it was too late. His manager had told him to not take those threats too seriously but he couldn't stop thinking about them. He couldn't be sure there wouldn't be something more serious happening and he was afraid of that.

"...and I think it would be the best for both of us."

Kurt looked up at Rich, blinking in confusion. He wasn't listening at all and he had no idea what the other man was talking about. 

"Yeah, sure" he muttered and turned away to order another drink. It was a long night.

"So you're fine with it?" Rich asked.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kurt asked.

"Look, Kurt, we've been talking for a few hours now and it's obvious that we're perfect for each other" Rich said and reached out to grab Kurt's hand. "We should move back to a more... private place."

He stroked Kurt's hand, smiling at him. But the man across him couldn't make himself to form a response. Rich wasn't... he didn't... He didn't want that, right?

"I..." Kurt muttered.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I swear I didn't want to be late!"

Kurt looked up at the man beside him and frowned. He was talking to Kurt but why...

The man smiled and pulled a chair next to Kurt's and sat down, taking Kurt's hand from Rich.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Rich asked and jumped up to his feet.

"Talking to my boyfriend" the man answered and winked as he turned back to Kurt. "I hope you weren't bored while you were waiting for me."

"No" Kurt replied."Not at all. Honey."

Rich opened his mouth but nothing came out. He didn't expect something like this. Kurt neither, but he was a good actor, he had no problem playing sweethearts with the stranger if it meant he could get rid of Rich.

"If you would excuse us..." the man said, talking to Rich this time.

"You... you... I will never forgive you for this" Rich said hatefully and left.

"Thank you" Kurt said in relief when Rich disappeared from his sight.

"I saw that you were literally in pain to have to listen to his shit" the man said. "I couldn't let you suffer the whole night."

"That's really nice of you" Kurt said.

"Why did you go out with him if you don't like him at all?" the man asked.

"It was a blind date" Kurt rolled his eyes. "My best friend insisted to meet him but..."

"Blaine Anderson" the man said.

"Uhm... Excuse me?" Kurt asked in confusion.

"My name's Blaine Anderson" the man – Blaine – repeated. 

"Kurt Hummel" Kurt said and reached out to shake the man's hand.

He expected a gasp or an 'Oh, my God! You're Kurt Hummel!' but nothing like that happened. As if Blaine didn't know who he was. And Kurt was incredibly grateful for that. 

"So, Kurt, would you like something to drink?" Blaine asked. "I won't try to pick you up, don't worry. But I'm here alone and we could save each other from a lonely night."

"That's a great idea" Kurt smiled.

~ o ~

Blaine wasn't like the men he had met before. He didn't care who he was, what his job was or anything Kurt related. Like he knew Kurt didn't want to talk about things like these. They mostly just talked about music and alcohol, and funny memories mostly alcohol releated. And Kurt had the best night of his life. Blaine really knew what he needed. And after a few more drinks, he felt like he could trust Baine with his most secret thoughts.

"My friends think I need someone" Kurt said after a short pause. "They think I need a relationship, but you know what? They are wrong. I don't need a man."

"Sometimes people think they need a relationship to satisfy their needs" Blaine said. "But that's not true. Mostly, people only need a good fuck. No responsibility, no pain, no cheesy romatic movies..."

"Hey, cheesy romantic movies are great" Kurt cut in.

"If you tell me, honey" Blaine laughed.

"Okay, I have to agree with most of your points" Kurt said. "Sometimes people are just too busy to live in a relationship. Why can't they understand that?"

"Maybe because you're too sexy to be single" Blaine winked.

"You want to pick me up" Kurt laughed.

"No, I want to have sex with you" Blaine replied.

Kurt bit his lip. Normally, he would have sent Blaine away after such a statement but maybe because of the alcohol running in his system, he wanted the same. It had been ages since he had been with someone and the thought of having sex without consequences was so inviting...

"Let's go back to my place" Blaine said when he saw his expression.

Kurt nodded and took his hand.

~ o ~

Kurt had never had a one night stand before. He had kept telling himself that he needed a real relationship, that he needed someone in his life. But it hadn't been true. He had too much trouble in his life already, he didn't need another person to care about. 

But he had missed sex... He knew the second he stepped through Blaine's door and grabbed the man's neck, pressing a kiss to his lips. Blaine didn't hesitate, he kicked the door close and grabbed Kurt's legs from behind under his ass and he lifted the man off his feet, carrying him into his bedroom. He dropped Kurt down onto the bed and climbed on the top of him, attacking him with his mouth again. Kurt moaned and grabbed Baine's hair, pushing him down to his neck. Blaine licked the sensitive skin right behind Kurt's ear and then moved his head down, sucking and licking Kurt's neck as the man kept moaning. 

When Blaine pulled back to get rid of his clothes, Kurt sat up and pushed the man down onto the bed beside him.

"Let me" he said.

Blaine could do nothing but nod and follow Kurt's movements with his eyes. God, the man was so freaking talented. He pushed his long fingers under Blaine's shirt and made slow circles on his chest before guiding the shirt up and over Blaine's head. Then he pushed Blaine back down and licked his lips, his fingers moving back to the buttons of his own shirt. Kurt smiled and watched Blaine staring at him with hungry eyes as he showed him more and more of his pale skin.

When his shirt was gone, Kurt unbuttoned his pants and pulled them off without climbing down from Blaine's lap.

"God, you're flexible" Blaine muttered.

"It comes with my job" Kurt replied as he moved down to work on Blaine's pants.

"Okay, I don't think I want to know what it means" Blaine laughed.

Once they were both naked, Blaine climbed out of the bed to get their supplies. He came back with a strawberry flavoured lube and dozens of condoms. Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"If you're good enough, I will keep you around for a few more rounds" he shrugged.

Before Kurt could come up with a response, Blaine was on the top of him again, pulling his legs apart. Kurt hated this part, it hurt so much and most of the times he didn't even want to continue after that. But Blaine's fingers stretched him gently while the man used his free hand and mouth to make Kurt relaxed, massaging his inner thighs and sucking on his cock. He made such a perfect job that Kurt couldn't wait to be stretched out completely. He needed Blaine, inside him, now. 

He pushed Blaine's hands away and climbed on the top of him again. He slammed his hands down onto Blaine's chest, holding him still as he positioned himself over his cock. He went down slowly at first and gave himself time to get used to the fullness. It had been a long time...

When the slight pain in his ass disappeared, he started moving.

"Oh" Blaine moaned, digging his nails into Kurt's waist, almost draining blood.

"Do you like it?" Kurt whispered as he leaned down to kiss Blaine and pushed his hands down above his head as he sped up.

"Yeah. Yeah" Blaine breathed.

It was probably because of the long time he had spent without having sex but Kurt came just after a few minutes, screaming Blaine's name. The man under him grabbed him and pushed Kurt down onto the bed, climbing between his legs. Blaine moved his cock rapidly in and out, pressing kisses all over Kurt's neck and chest. Kurt put his legs tightly around his waist, giving him better access as Blaine kept pounding into him. It didn't take him too long either. He pressed his eyes closed and came with a low moan.

If Kurt thought Blaine needed some time to recover from his orgasm, he was wrong. They only made it to the kitchen to grab something to drink and he found himself pushed down onto the counter with Blaine rocking into him from behind. Then they did it on the couch, too. And when they went to have a shower, to clean themselves, Blaine grabbed him and pushed him up to the wall, making him come for the fourth time that night. 

Kurt was sure they would have continued it all night if he hadn't checked on his phone. But he did, when Blaine went out to bring them some water and snacks. He had nine missed calls, all from Rachel. It was clear that something had happened and he called her back immediately.

"Thank God! I've tried to reach you for hours!" Rachel said as she picked up her phone.

"What happened?" Kurt asked seriously, the happy dizziness from the sex earlier gone. 

"You have to come home. Something... something happened" Rachel said.

"What?" Kurt asked.

"Just come home. You have to see it with your own eyes" Rachel said and disconnected the call.

Kurt groaned and jumped down from the bed to get his clothes. 

"Where are you going?" Blaine asked as he stepped into the room.

"Home" Kurt answered, pulling him shoes up. "I'm sorry, I really am. But something happened and I have to get home immediately. Thank you, though. I really needed this."

He pressed a quick kiss on Blaine's lips and left the apartment before Blaine could reply. 

"You're welcome" Blaine muttered, staring at the point where he had last seen Kurt.

Damn, that man was amazing. And he hadn't even asked for his phone number. 

~ o ~

Kurt felt a wave of dizziness as he stepped out of the cab in front of his house. Althought it was almost 4 in the morning, it seemed like every light in the house was on, giving the building a strange look like at Christmas. And there were too many cars parking on the grass, too many people standing in front of the house. 

He swallowed and rushed forward, right to the front door, only to be stopped by a policeman.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you can't..."

"It's my house" Kurt said and pushed the man's hand away. He didn't have time for this.

He found even more people in the living room and he was in full panic. He looked around, his eyes searching for Rachel, and he sighed in relief when he finally pointed her out. 

"God, Rachel, what's going on here?" he asked. "And where's Danny?"

"At Mercedes. We didn't want him to see it" Rachel answered.

"What happened?" Kurt asked as he calmed down a bit. At least Danny was fine.

"We heard a crush from downstairs" Rachel said quietly. "I called the police immediately, and when they got here, we found those."

She pointed out of the window and Kurt ran outside. He was so worried about Rachel and Danny that he hadn't even seen the marks on the wall the first time. But now they were all visible, words painted with dark red. He wasn't sure it was possible to wash them down from the walls. He looked at the first word, the one he had heard several times back in high school and turned his head away. He didn't want to face all of this. 

"Do you know who did this?" he asked Rachel.

"No" Rachel said sadly. "It was a man but it was too dark outside to see his face. He got away before the police arrived."

Kurt nodded, rubbing his forehead. Why couldn't they just let him live? He didn't want too much. Just a place where he could live in peace with his family and focus on his job. Nothing more.

"I know we've talked about it and you don't like the idea, but I think it's time to find a bodyguard for you" Rachel said carefully.

A bodyguard. If his stalker wasn't enough, he should hire another stranger to look out for him. So much for privacy.

But he knew Rachel was right. If he wanted peace, he needed a bodyguard. Probably it would be enough to scare the stalker away and he wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.

"You're right" he said quietly. "It will be my first thing to do in the morning."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter is already here!   
> Thank you for reading this story and also for your lovely comments!

Kurt had slept nothing at all. Just the thought of a stranger coming to his home and threatening his family and best friend had made him so scared that he couldn't close his eyes for a second, although Rachel had stayed with him and reassured him that she would watch out for him while he had some rest.

Once he could see 8:00 on his phone, he got out of the bed and called Mercedes. He had to know if Danny was alright and he needed Mercedes' help. Rachel had been right, he wasn't safe anymore and needed a bodyguard. A bodyguard... A tall, bulky man in tight shirt, black pants and boots. Somebody who would make his stalker leave him alone. And somebody who would watch his every step. Great. That was just what he needed.

He called Mercedes and agreed to meet her within an hour. He took a quick shower and got into his fresh clothes. It went slower than he expected, since his whole body was sore from the previous night. He smiled as he walked down the stairs. He hadn't been that bold before but he didn't regret the night at all. Blaine was amazing and he would never forget him. It was such a shame that it was only one night...

"Somebody had a good night" Rachel smiled when she saw Kurt limping slightly. "So you and Rich got along well."

Kurt opened his mouth to tell Rachel that it wasn't Rich who he had shared the bed with, but he decided to not talk about Blaine. He knew what Rachel would think, so he just let it go.

"I talked to Mercedes. She's waiting for us" Kurt said finally. "I need a coffee but then we can go."

He made himself a coffee and drank it fast, so he was ready to go. He didn't want to waste any more time. He had to see if Danny was alright, than talk to Mercedes and Tina about the bodyguard, and he had some work to do, too. He wasn't going to miss anything because of that lunatic.

Twenty minutes later, when they reached Mercedes' house, he jumped out of the car and rushed to the front door, not waiting for Rachel to join him. He knocked a few times and waited for Mercedes to open the door.

Almost a minute later, his friend opened the door and Kurt stepped inside without hesitation.

"Guest room" Mercedes said. She knew that Kurt wanted to see Danny first. "He woke up half an hour ago. I wanted to make him breakfast but he said he wasn't hungry."

"Thank you, Mercedes" Kurt said and ran upstairs.

He opened the first door on his left and stepped inside. True to Mercedes' words, Danny was sitting on the bed, watching a cartoon. He was pale, paler than usual, his ginger curls standing away from his head in every possible direction. Kurt smiled as he watched the little boy from behind. Since his fifth birthday, Danny started paying attention to his look, especially to his curly hair. Kurt thought his hair was beautiful and special but Danny hated it because his classmates made fun of him. Kurt couldn't understand why. With his porcelain skin, ginger hair and large, hazel eyes Danny was like a cute little doll.

"Hey" Kurt said quietly as he took a few steps closer.

Danny turned around and jumped up once he realised that it was Kurt standing behind him. He rushed to Kurt and threw himself into the man's arms, crying softly.

"It's okay" Kurt said, running his fingers through the little boy's hair to comfort him. He cursed himself for not coming earlier. He shouldn't have let Rachel convince him to stay home for the rest of the night.

"I was so scared" Danny said quietly. "There was a man and he wanted to get into the house..."

"I know, honey" Kurt whispered. "It's all my fault. I should have done something earlier. But it won't happen again, I promise. I will talk with Mercedes and Tina and we will find us a bodyguard to keep us safe. Okay?"

Danny nodded

"Can we go home now?" the boy asked. "I miss my room and I'm hungry."

"We can't" Kurt said sadly. "I have a few things to do but once I'm finished, we will go home. I can do something for breakfast. I'm sure Mercedes has everything for a delicious sandwich. What do you think?"

"Will we watch Frozen tonight?" Danny asked.

Kurt smiled and kissed the boy's forehead.

"Of course. I will make popcorn" he said.

Finally, Danny looked into his eyes and smiled.

~ o ~

Once Kurt made sure Danny ate his sandwich, he told Mercedes everything she hadn't known. They agreed to meet Tina, Kurt's manager, who was already searching for the best bodyguard for him. Leaving Danny with Rachel was hard. The little boy didn't want to be left alone again and Kurt understood why. He was scared and he needed Kurt, but the man had to take care of everything before he could bring Danny home. Painting the walls, for example. He didn't want Danny to see those things.

"Are you alright?" Mercedes asked when they got out of the car at Tina's office.

"I don't know" Kurt admitted. "It's so scary. I didn't think that man would try to break into my home. We're lucky that he didn't hurt Danny or Rachel."

"The police will find him soon" Mercedes reassured him. "And you will be safe once you get that bodyguard."

"God, don't remind me of him" Kurt groaned. "I can't believe I need a stranger to take care of me and Danny. It will be horrible."

"Nah, bodyguards are mostly sexy" Mercedes winked.

"Believe me, the last thing I will do is fall for my bodyguard" Kurt said and turned away to knock on Tina's door.

"Come in!" Tina called out.

Kurt opened the door and stepped aside, motioning Mercedes to go in first, then followed her. He could only take a few steps when Tina reached him, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, Kurt, I'm so sorry" Tina said. "I hope that you're fine."

"I will be" Kurt said with a forced smile. "Could you find me a bodyguard?"

Tina nodded excitedly and went back to her desk.

"I know we agreed in one person but since the threats are serious, I think you should choose them" she said and turned the monitor towards Kurt.

"Warblers?" Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked at the simple black and white homepage. "I don't think I would be comfortable with a whole group staying in my house."

"Just think about it" Tina reasoned. "You need someone for yourself and Danny too, not to mention your house, if you don't want your stalker to ruin the building again. It's three people already. And these men've been working together for years. They would be the perfect choice. And you have enough space in your house for all of them and still have some privacy."

Kurt bit his lip, thinking about Tina's idea. He read the Warblers' references and they looked really good. 

"I think Tina's right" Mercedes said when Kurt looked at her for advice.

"Fine" Kurt sighed. "Can you arrange a meeting with them? Preferably for today or tomorrow. I want them to start working as soon as possible."

"Already done" Tina smiled. "I knew that you would say yes, so I called them in the morning. We're going to meet them in the afternoon and if you like them, they can start today."

"Okay" Kurt said and took a deep breath. So much for the movie night he had promised for Danny.

"And I talked to the police. They have every evidence they need, so I sent the workers to your house to paint the walls. I don't think they will be finished tomorrow but most of the... signs will be gone before you go home. I asked them to start with the worst part, so Danny doesn't have to see it" Tina said.

"Thank you, T" Kurt said gratefully. "God, what would I do without you?"

"That's why you keep me around, right?" Tina smiled.

~ o ~

Blaine woke up to the loud thumping noises and growled as he turned to his side. He didn't want to wake up. He had some fantastic dreams about Kurt Hummel, the man he had spent the previous night with. In his dream, Kurt came back to him in the middle of the night, attacked him with kisses and they had the most amazing sex ever. Yeah, Blaine wanted to stay in bed forever.

But the noises didn't seem to stop, so he got out of bed, pulled up his pants and walked to the door to open it. He sighed and stepped back when he saw his friend standing there.

"Ah, it's just you" Blaine muttered and turned around, walking into the kitchen to make coffee.

"Do you know that it's almost noon and you just got out of bed?" Jeff smiled.

Blaine groaned and once his coffee was ready, he grabbed his mug and sat down to the table, not caring to ask Jeff if he wanted some of the hot liquid.

"I hope it's an emergency, Jeffrey" Blaine said and swallowed half of his coffee, humming happily. "I'm not in the mood to have visitors, especially when they knock me out of bed."

"It's an emergency" Jeff replied seriously. "Wes got a call this morning. We have a new case."

"Please, don't tell me it's another reality show star" Blaine pleaded. Yeah, they needed money, but it didn't mean he could tolerate another whiny, spoiled bitch like last time. He would rather wash dishes in a fast food restaurant than work for a woman who didn't understand that she couldn't have everybody because she had been part of an awful show for two weeks. 

"No" Jeff smiled. "Broadway actor and singer."

"Better but still not the president himself" Blaine muttered.

"I don't want to shatter your dreams but I don't think we would work for the president. Ever" Jeff laughed.

"Right" Blaine muttered. "So, what's with this one?"

"He's gotten threatening messages for the past few weeks. Last night, somebody tried to break into his house and painted obscene words onto the walls" Jeff answered.

"Wow. It seems like something" Blaine said, interested. They hadn't had a real job since forever and following celebrities who thought they were important enough to have bodyguards but nothing really happened around them was boring. But this one seemed like a real job where they could do something apart from joining their employer on public events.

"Yes. His manager called Wes and asked us to meet them today. That's why I'm here. We tried to call you but you didn't pick up" Jeff said.

"I was occupied" Blaine replied.

"I can tell" Jeff snorted. "The whole place smells like sex. Drink that and have a shower. Mr Hummel's waiting for us."

Baine was about to drink the rest of his coffee but when he heard the name, he spat the coffee back at the table.

"Excuse me?" he asked, coughing.

"Our new client is Kurt Hummel" Jeff said slowly. "Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and dozens of other plays. He's an amazing actor."

And the guy I fucked last night, Blaine thought. He was such an idiot. How could he not recognize Kurt the previous night? Okay, he hadn't seen any of those plays, he wasn't really a fan of Broadway, but he had heard Kurt's name several times, he had read articles about him. And still... he had had the guy in his apartment and hadn't realise who he was.

"Blaine, are you here?" Jeff asked, snapping his fingers in front of Blaine.

"Yeah" Blaine nodded and stood up, stumbling in his haste. "Give me ten minutes."

With that, he turned around, grabbed fresh clothes from his wardrobe and disappeared in the bathroom. Jeff shook his head as he looked after him. He didn't know that Blaine was fan of Kurt Hummel. 

~ o ~

Kurt was pacing nervously as they waited for the Warblers to arrive. He wanted to get over with this meeting and finally go home. He was tired and just wanted to forget about his stalker for a while, although he didn't know how it would be possible with strangers in his house. It didn't matter, though, he had already decided to take the Warblers, so he had to accept the fact that they would live with them for a while. At least they would be safe.

"They are here" Tina said excitedly, motioning towards the waiting room.

Kurt turned to see five men emerge from the elevator and he couldn't help but smiled. They looked more like a boy band than bodyguards. None of them was a typical bulky figure, they were all about Kurt's height and only a little more muscular than him. He couldn't see all of their faces. There was a blond guy with bright brown eyes and he was talking to a dark haired man with large hazel eyes. There was an Asian man in front of them with two more people, but Kurt couldn't see their faces. One of them had dark complexion, that was all Kurt could see of him, and there was the fifth member of the team, somebody with long, dark curls that reminded Kurt on the previous night. Blaine had had similar hair. 

"Come on" Mercedes said and grabbed his hand, pulling Kurt out into the waiting room.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen" Tina said. "I'm Tina Cohen-Chang. I called you this morning."

All of the men turned towards them, so Kurt could finally see them from close. He smiled politely as he watched the Warblers. They were about his age and he was right about the boy band thing. They looked exactly like a...

Oh, dear God. It couldn't be.

He recognized that face immediately as Blaine turned around. How could he forget? They had spent the previous night together. And now he was here. As his future bodyguard. 

Kurt wanted to disappear but Tina continued speaking, introducing him and Mercedes. Kurt looked into Blaine's eyes, thinking about how he should act. Should he tell them about him and Blaine? No. He didn't want his friends know about what they had done, so he tried to act like he didn't know Blaine and stepped forward, smiling. He just hoped that Blaine wouldn't talk.

"Nice to meet you" he said. 

"I'm Blaine Anderson" Blaine said, understanding that Kurt wanted to keep their affair secret. "And these are my partners: Wesley Montgomery, David Thompson, Jeffrey Sterling and Nicholas Duval."

Kurt tried to memorize all of their names but it was hard when he couldn't keep his thoughts away from Blaine. Even now that he was totally sober, he found Blaine hot. And it didn't help that he was the man who had made Kurt scream in pleasure several times the previous night. 

"I think we should move to the meeting room and go through the contract" Tina said and led them to the door of the meeting room.

Kurt didn't follow them, though. He caught Blaine's arm and dragged him back to Tina's office. They had to talk.

"What are you doing here?" Kurt whispered. 

"I guess I'm your new bodyguard" Blaine smiled.

"You can't" Kurt replied. "Last night we... we had sex. You can't work for me after that."

"It's okay, Kurt" Blaine said. "We agreed in a one night stand, nothing more. And we're adults. I think we can handle the situation."

"What if we can't?" Kurt asked and took another step back. "We can't let them know about us."

"Do you regret it?" Blaine asked, somewhat hurt.

"No" Kurt answered.

"Are you ashamed?" Blaine asked him again.

"No, of course not" Kurt said. "I just... Look, my life is pretty complicated lately and I don't need more trouble."

"I won't tell anyone. I swear" Blaine said.

"Okay" Kurt nodded finally. "Let's say it will work. You should still know a few things about me before you say yes. I love my job and I work a lot."

"No problem" Blaine smiled.

"I have a son" Kurt said carefully.

"I like kids" Blaine replied without hesitation.

"Really?" Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow. Blaine didn't seem like somebody who liked children.

"You don't want me to work for you because you're afraid that I would hate your kid?" Blaine asked.

"No, it's not like that..."

"Kurt, it will be fine. Calm down and trust me" Blaine said and squeezed Kurt's hand. "We should go back to the others."

Kurt sighed and nodded. Blaine was right. Tina and Mercedes were standing in the waiting room, watching them in confusion. If he didn't want questions about Blaine, they had to go back to the others.

"Is everything alright?" Tina asked.

"Yeah. I just wanted to talk to Mr Anderson about our situation" Kurt said smoothly.

"Well, if you're okay with them, you should read the contract and sign it. I've read it already, it's alright" Tina said.

"Thank you" Kurt smiled and stepped into the meeting room.

He went through the papers quickly while Tina asked a few more questions. Kurt looked up a few times but he was always careful to not look into Blaine's eyes. When he was ready with reading the contract, he grabbed his pencil but hesitated if he should sign it. He still wasn't sure if he could work with Blaine after what had happened between them.

He looked at Blaine, thinking. He seemed like a nice guy and for some reason, Kurt knew he could trust him, that he would do everything to ensure his safety. He took a deep breath, leaned down and signed the papers before he could change his mind. 

He just hoped he wouldn't regret his decision.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Chapter 3 is here! I hope you like it.

It seemed like a never ending day. Kurt was tired as hell and wanted nothing but a hot bath and going to sleep. But he had so much to do. Once he signed the papers and talked to the Warblers about the details, he went back for Danny with Blaine accompanying him. The drive to Mercedes' house was awkward, none of them said a word and Kurt had to force himself to keep his eyes on the road and not look at the other man. It was hard, though. Sure, they had agreed to be professional and not let their one night stand affect their job, but Kurt had no idea how he would act like nothing had happened between them and keep their affair secret. It would be the most difficult role he had ever played.

Once they reached Mercedes' house, Kurt rushed inside and Blaine followed him closely. It was his job to take care of Kurt and his son after all, although once they get back to the Hummel house, his friends would join them. But at least for this short time, Kurt only had to bear his presence.

A woman was waiting for them in the living room. She must have been a good friend of Kurt as she hugged the man the instant they arrived.

"He's upstairs" the woman informed Kurt. "He refused to sleep without you."

"Thank you" Kurt nodded and almost left but then he noticed Blaine standing behind them and Rachel watching him in interest, so he turned back to them. "Rachel, this is Blaine Anderson, member of the Warblers."

"Oh, my God! You're the bodyguard?" Rachel asked excitedly.

"One of them" Kurt replied. "Blaine, this is Rachel Berry, one of my best friends."

"Nice to meet you, Ms Berry" Blaine said politely.

"He's so hot" Rachel whispered to Kurt. "You can go upstairs. I will be here with him."

"Don't scare him away" Kurt joked and smiled at Blaine before going upstairs.

He sighed sadly when he found Danny perched on the edge of the bed, half asleep. The little boy yawned, rubbing his eyes. He was pale and the dark circles under his eyes told Kurt that he was as tired if not even more tired than him. 

"Hey, Danny" Kurt said and pulled the boy into his arms.

"Can we go home now?" Danny asked quietly.

"Yes, honey" Kurt said and kissed the boy's forehead. "I'm sorry that it took me so long."

"I missed you. I asked Rachel to sing to me but she doesn't know your songs" Danny said.

"I will sing to you tonight, okay?" Kurt smiled. "Come on, let's go home."

Danny nodded and stood up, squeezing Kurt's hand. When he had been younger, Kurt used to carry him in his arms but since he wasn't a small child anymore, they only held each other's hands when Danny needed Kurt's closeness. He missed the comfort that the man could give him, though. Now that he was frightened and needed Kurt more than anytime, it didn't seem enough. So he freed his hand and put his arms around Kurt's waist as tight as he could.

"It will be fine" Kurt said, trying to comfort the boy. Sometimes he still didn't know how to act around the child. He had been so young when he had gotten custody of Danny, he wasn't sure if he was good enough to raise him. But he didn't have a choice. He was all that Danny had and he promised himself to take good care of the boy. "Come on, honey."

Kurt led Danny down the stairs, into the living room where Blaine and Rachel were waiting for them. He berated himself silently when he saw the bodyguard. He should have told Danny about him and the other Warblers upstairs, when they were alone but he had forgotten about it. There was no way to go back, so he had to explain the situation now.

Danny seemed to be afraid of Blaine, he hid behind Kurt the second when he saw the bodyguard, looking at him with wide eyes. Kurt squeezed his hand reassuringly and took another step towards Blaine.

"Danny, this is Blaine. He and his friends will live with us for a while" Kurt said.

Danny leaned closer to take a better look at Blaine but when the man stepped closer to them and smiled at him, he hid behind Kurt once again.

"You don't have to be afraid of him. Blaine is a good guy" Kurt said.

"Why does he have to stay with us?" Danny asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"I... Uhm..." Kurt didn't know how to explain the situation without scaring the boy. Luckily, Blaine saw his hesitation and stepped forward to help him.

"Hey, Danny" Blaine said and crouched down to not seem so tall and frightening in the boy's eyes. "I'm Blaine and I'm happy to finally meet you. I know I seem scary for you but you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm here to protect you and your daddy."

"Why?" Danny asked.

"The man that scared you last night, he is a bad man" Kurt said carefully. He knew he couldn't lie but he still wanted to shelter the little boy. It was his job after all. "Blaine and his friends will help us keep him away, so he can't go near us again."

"Oh. Okay" Danny said quietly but still didn't take a move towards Blaine.

"We should go home, it's late. Thank you, Rachel" Kurt said, turning towards his friends.

"Anytime" Rachel said and went to hug him and Danny. "If you have enough of them, you can come over to play with me again."

Danny smiled and nodded excitedly, causing the adults around him to smile.

Once they said goodbye, they went back to the car. Kurt asked Blaine to drive, so he could stay with Danny on the backseat. 

"So, Danny, do you like cartoons?" Blaine asked as he pulled away from Mercedes' house, trying to enlighten the mood.

"Yes!" Danny smiled. "I like a lot of them and my favourite is Mia and Me. The boys in school say that it's for girls but I think it's beautiful."

"I have to agree" Blaine said. "I like when girls save the world. I don't understand why boys couldn't watch it."

"Kurt said the same" Danny replied. 

Blaine raised an eyebrow but didn't reply. It seemed weird that Danny called his father on his first name but if it was good for them, he had no say in this. 

"We're here" Kurt said, breaking the silence as they arrived.

Kurt got out of the car first and sighed in relief when he saw the house. Most of the hateful words were gone and if he was lucky enough, he could get Danny into the house before he saw the rest.

"Kurt, what is 'fag'?" 

Too late. Kurt took a deep breath, trying to find out how to explain it but Blaine was there by their side to help him.

"It's a really bad word" he said quietly. "Ignorant people use it to insult man like your father."

"What is ignorant?" Danny asked in confusion.

"Let's get inside. I will explain everything once we have something for dinner" Kurt said tiredly.

Luckily, Danny didn't ask more questions. Probably because he was past his bedtime and he still didn't have dinner and wasn't ready to go to sleep. Or because there were four more people at their front door, waiting for them. Danny seemed to be scared again, he grabbed Kurt's hand as he watched the men with wide eyes.

"They are my friends, Danny" Blaine said. "Don't be afraid of them."

"They're so tall" Danny muttered.

"I know, honey, most of the bodyguards are" Kurt laughed. 

"Bodyguard?" Danny frowned.

"People who keep us safe from the bad guys" Kurt explained.

"Okay" Danny nodded.

"Danny, these are Jeff, Nick, Wes and David" Blaine said.

"Hey, little one" Jeff smiled.

"You will get to know them in the next few days but I think it's time for you to eat something and go to sleep" Kurt said when he saw Danny yawning.

"I'm not sleepy" Danny said, rubbing his eyes.

"You are" Kurt laughed and turned towards the men standing at the door. "Uhm... I will show you everything but first..."

"Of course" Blaine smiled.

Kurt was lost in that beautiful smile for a few seconds but as he felt Danny pulling at his hand, he finally remembered where they were and he hastily opened the door and wanted to step inside.

"Let us first" Blaine said, grabbing his arm.

Oh, yes. They didn't have bodyguards for nothing. There was someone trying to hurt Kurt and they had to be careful. As the Warblers went to check the house, Kurt stayed with Danny in the living room and tried not to show the boy how nervous he was. He could forget about his stalker for a few hours but his fears were back the instant they stepped into the house.

"It's clear" Blaine said when he got back from the kitchen.

"Thank you" Kurt said and led Danny into the kitchen to make him dinner.

Since he didn't have time to cook a proper dinner, they had to eat sandwiches again. He knew it wasn't good for Danny but maybe one time wouldn't hurt. After all, there were children all around the world who never had enough fruits and vegetables and they still grew up relatively healthily.

He made Danny and himself a few sandwiches and sat down with the boy. He had no idea if he should have done something for the others or they would cook for themselves. He needed to talk about it with them later. He didn't want to seem rude but he didn't know how it worked.

"Kurt, he's watching me" Danny whispered, looking at Blaine over his sandwich. The man was standing at the door, now turning his eyes away. 

"It's his job, honey. He needs to watch us and everything around us" Kurt explained.

"It's creepy" the boy said with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, he's not going to hurt you. Eat your dinner" Kurt said and looked at Blaine with an apologetic smile. The man just shrugged in response.

"Thank you, Kurt. It was delicious" Danny said when he finished his food.

"You're welcome" Kurt smiled. "Come on, let's have a quick shower and then you can go to bed.

"Will you sing to me?" Danny asked.

"Of course" Kurt said and looked at Blaine. "Twenty minutes, I swear."

"You don't have to hurry" Blaine replied.

Kurt thanked him quietly and went upstairs with Danny. Normally, the boy could wash himself alone but now he didn't want to be left alone. Kurt sighed and stayed with him until he got out of the tub and put up his pyjama, then led Danny back into his room and waited for the boy to lie down.

"What do you want me to sing to you?" Kurt asked. He wasn't in the mood to sing at all but Danny had asked him for a song and he couldn't deny the litt boy's request, especially after a long day like this.

"My favourite" Danny replied with a smile.

"Again?" Kurt laughed but then sat up straight and started singing.

Oh yeah, I'll tell you something  
I think you'll understand  
When I'll say that something  
I wanna hold your hand  
I wanna hold your hand  
I wanna hold your hand

Oh please, say to me  
You'll let me be your man  
And please, say to me  
You'll let me hold your hand  
Now let me hold your hand  
I wanna hold your hand

And when I touch you I feel happy  
Inside  
It's such a feeling that my love  
I can't hide  
I can't hide  
I can't hide

Yeah, you've got that something  
I think you'll understand  
When I'll say that something  
I wanna hold your hand  
I wanna hold your hand  
I wanna hold your hand  
I wanna hold your hand. 

"Sing it again!" Danny pleaded.

"It's late, Danny. You should go to sleep" Kurt said as he stood up. "I swear I will come home tomorrow in time and we can sing together."

"Fine" Danny sighed, clearly unhappy. 

"Good night" Kurt said and kissed the boy's forehead before stepping out of the room. He still had a lot to do.

~ o ~

While Kurt was with Danny, the Warblers went through the whole house to know what they were dealing with. To Blaine's surprise, Kurt didn't live in a huge, modern estate as he expected from a star. His house was just the size of where Blaine had grown up, with warm colours and comfortable furniture. A house where Blaine would live happily on his own.

There were no cameras, though, which made their job a little more difficult. Wes suggested to set up some cameras at least outside of the house, so one of them could watch the garden and the street all the time. They decided to discuss it with Kurt. 

While his friends stayed in the house with Kurt and Danny, Blaine walked outside to take a look of the walls. Most of the horrible words painted on them were gone as Tina had told them earlier but there were a few of them still shining in the moonlight. Blaine ran his fingers through one of them, grimancing. He had no idea how somebody could do this to a kind and gentle person like Kurt. He truly didn't deserve it. 

"So are we dealing with a homophobe?" Jeff asked when all of them went back into the living room. "Those paintings on the walls are disgusting."

Jeff grimanced and turned away. Blaine felt bad for him, it was one of Jeff's sore spots after all. He was gay like Blaine and he had had some troubles with his sexuality back in high school. He was fine now, he had learnt how to defend himself and his loved ones but he couldn't always control his emotions if he bumped into a case like this.

"I don't get it" Wes said as he sat down onto the couch. "Ms Cohen-Chang showed me the letters Kurt got in the past weeks. It seems like his stalker has feelings for Kurt. At least that's what I think."

"He can be still in closet" Blaine muttered.

"Do you think it's someone Kurt knows?" Nick asked.

"It's too early to say that. But we have to keep our eyes open" Wes said seriously.

The sound of Kurt's footsteps interrupted their conversation and they all turned to look at the pale man as he walked down the stairs.

"I'm sorry it took us so long" Kurt said as he stopped at the couch, looking around awkwardly. It was weird to have five strangers in his home and he didn't know how to act in the Warrblers' presence.

"It's alright. It has to be hard for both of you" David smiled.

"It is" Kurt sighed. "I never thought that the situation would reach this point."

"You don't have to worry about it anymore" Blaine said gently, fighting off the urge to pull Kurt into his arms. He seemed so weak and tired, it broke Blaine's heart. "We're here and we won't let anyone hurt you."

Kurt smiled weakly as he looked up to meet Blaine's eyes.

"I know it's late but we need to talk about your schedules" Wes said, much to Blaine's annoyance who was happy to be lost in those beautiful blue eyes for a short time.

"I guess Tina gave you most of the documents" Kurt said. "Danny's schedule is pretty simple. School, privat lessons, sometimes other activities but I will let you know about them in time."

"And what about you?" Blaine asked.

Kurt sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Theatre, studio, interviews... I leave early in the morning but I always try to come home for dinner" Kurt answered. "You have my schedule for the next two weeks."

"Dear God... When do you sleep?" Nick asked as he went through Kurt's schedule.

"I'm not always so busy. It's just temporary" Kurt said but the way he looked away told Blaine that it was a lie.

"I think you should go to sleep now. We can discuss the rest in the morning" Blaine said, earning a small smile from Kurt.

"I'm gonna show you your rooms" Kurt said and turned to walk to the room on their left. "So here's a guest room and next to it, there's another one. We have another one upstairs but I use it as my music room. I will clean it up tomorrow, so you will have enough space."

"These are fine" Blaine said as he stepped into the room. "We don't work at the same time anyway. Two rooms will be enough for us."

"Uhm... okay" Kurt said, his cheeks turning scarlet from the closeness of Blaine. "Do you need anything else? God, I'm so rude. I forgot to ask you if you want something to eat."

"Go to sleep, Kurt" Blaine said, putting a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "It was a long day for you, you need to rest."

"Thank you" Kurt said, squeezing Blaine's hand. "If you need anything..."

"We know where to find you" Blaine interrupted him.

"Good night" Kurt said, mostly to Blaine and finally turned around, leaving the Warblers alone.

"You like him" Jeff said when Kurt was out of earshot.

"I'm just trying to be nice" Blaine replied.

"Sure" Jeff smiled. He knew his friend too well to believe him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics: The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I'm finally done with my exams for this week, so I can upload a few more chapters. This one today and the next 1-2 tomorrow.  
> Thank you for reading and reviewing this story! I really appreciate your support!  
> Just one last short note: Kurt and Danny's relationship is not as simple as it first seems. You can find some informations about them in this and the next few chapters but the full story is in chapter 9.  
> Enjoy!

Kurt hadn't slept so well for a long time. After leaving the Warblers in the living room, he had gone upstairs and had fallen asleep almost immediately. When he woke up almost nine hours later, he was happy and well rested.

And late.

When he saw the time on his phone, he gasped and jumped out of the bed, berating himself. He had forgotten about setting an alarm the previous night, so he had to hurry now if he wanted to get to work in time. First he rushed into the bathroom to get a shower but then he remembered that Danny had to go to school, so he ran out of his room to find the boy. Luckily, Danny was awake and getting ready for the day.

"Danny, you're amazing" Kurt said and kissed the boy's forehead before he went back to his own room.

"You should be ready" Danny muttered and not knowing what to do, he went downstairs.

Kurt followed him ten minutes later while he tried to put on his shirt, his hair still soaking but at least clean. As he stepped into the kitchen, his eyes widened and he almost screamed when he saw a blond man standing by the counter, preparing breakfast. He needed a few seconds to remember that it was Jeff, one of his bodyguards and not a stranger who could be dangerous for Danny and himself. He took a deep breath as he stepped forward, looking at Danny who was sitting on his chair, watching Jeff with huge, fearful eyes, in complete silence.

"Good morning" Kurt said.

Jeff turned around and gave him a warm smile.

"Good morning! The little guy was hungry, so I made him breakfast. I hope you don't mind" Jeff said.

"Not at all" Kurt smiled. "Thank you."

"Are you coming with me today?" Danny asked in a small voice, carefully eyeing Jeff.

"No, honey" Kurt sighed, running his fingers through the boy's hair. "I have to go to work, I'm already late. But Rachel will come for you soon and you will spend the afternoon together. It's great, right?"

"Do you have to work today?" Danny asked sadly.

"Yeah" Kurt answered. "I know I don't spend too much time with you lately but I swear I will make it up to you. We can go to the zoo on Saturday."

"Fine" Danny huffed, clearly not liking the answer.

"I have to go. Be good" Kurt said and kissed Danny's cheek before he left.

"Your dad works a lot, right?" Jeff smiled and placed a plate in front of the boy. "Scrambled eggs à la Jeffrey. Eat it up before it gets cold."

Danny grimanced as he looked at the food, carefully poking it with his fork.

"It's not like how Kurt makes it" Danny said.

"No, it's a lot better. Try it" Jeff smiled and sat down beside the boy.

"I like the way Kurt makes it" Danny said.

"You're not going to eat it, right?" Jeff asked with a raised eyebrow.

Danny shook his head and pushed the plate away.

"Okay..." Jeff said and bit his lip as he looked around in the kitchen. He knew that kids were hard to convince to eat something they didn't know but he couldn't let Danny go to school without having breakfast. It was one of the most important things his mother had taught him, never leave the house without filling your stomach. "What do you want to eat?"

"Chocolate!" Danny answered excitedly.

"Very funny" Jeff said, shaking his head. "I don't think your daddy allows you to have chocolate for breakfast."

"But he isn't here" Danny smiled mischievously.

"He would fire me the instant he learns about it" Jeff replied, hoping that his reason was enough for Danny to eat the eggs.

"He will be upset with you if I go to school without breakfast" Danny said.

"Dear God, you're even worse than me" Jeff muttered. "Okay. What should I do to make you eat the breakfast?"

The grin that spread across the boy's face told Jeff that he had just asked the wrong question.

~ o ~

Kurt forgot about having bodyguards again. As he left Danny in the kitchen, he grabbed his keys and walked out to his car, upset because he had to leave the boy again. Danny deserved better, he knew it. He needed a real parent – or preferably two – who could raise him, not just an imposter who wasn't even able to take care of himself. He had still no idea how Danny had ended up by him. It had been the worst idea his parents could have had but it was too late for Kurt to oppose. It was done and he had to raise Danny the best he could.

"Where are you going?" Blaine asked and made Kurt jump as he appeared out of nowhere beside the car.

"God, you scared me" Kurt muttered as he got into the car. Blaine smiled and followed him.

"So where are we going?" Blaine asked again.

"As you saw in my schedule, I have to work" Kurt answered. "You know, that's what I do to have enough money for the bills."

"Ha-ha, I knew you were a funny guy" Blaine said. "But seriously, Kurt. Would you have gone to work alone when you know how dangerous it is for you to be alone?"

"I forgot about you, okay?" Kurt replied, clearly exasperated. "I overslept, I didn't have time for my coffee and I couldn't have five minutes with Danny. The last thing that came into my head was you."

"That's a shame because I spent my whole night thinking about you" Blaine said flirtily.

"Blaine..." Kurt sighed tiredly.

"I know, I know. I won't talk about it again" Blaine said and looked at Kurt. He seemed so tired and sad, he had to do something about it. "Okay, stop the car."

"What? I'm late, I can't..."

"Just do it" Blaine cut in.

"Fine" Kurt said, rolling his eyes, but he stopped as soon as he could.

"Get out. I'm driving" Blaine said and hopped out of the passenger's seat to change seats with Kurt.

"This is crazy" Kurt muttered when they got back into the car.

"Believe me, with me and my friends around, your whole life will be crazy" Blaine laughed. 

They went silent again, Blaine kept his eyes on the road and Kurt got lost in his thoughts. He only noticed that something was wrong when Blaine stopped the car.

"Where are we?" he asked in concern.

"You need your coffee or else you will be moody the whole day and that's the last thing I need" Blaine said and helped Kurt out of his seat. "And I'm only willing to drink coffee if I make it myself or I'm here."

"Blaine, I have no time for this" Kurt said, rubbing his eyes.

"Why not?" Blaine shrugged.

"Because I have to work!" Kurt answered.

"You're the star. The others need to learn to wait for you" Blaine answered and led Kurt inside.

The place was small but crowded and smelled like coffee. Kurt took a deep breath as Blaine led him to the counter and ordered their drinks. Maybe Blaine was right, he deserved a coffee before work. Usually, he was the first to arrive and the last to leave, so one time they could wait for him.

When they paid for the coffee and two muffins Blaine had ordered for them, they went to find an empty table and sat down.

"Try the muffins first and then drink from your coffee. They're amazing together" Blaine said and bit down into his own muffin.

"Is it safe for us to be here?" Kurt asked, his fear of his stalker rising again.

"Nobody's going to hurt you here" Blaine said and waved around. "Just look at them. That man's reading his newspaper, he doesn't even see you. Those teenagers, they're too lost in that picture the blond's showing around."

"What about that man?" Kurt asked, nodding towards the man in the corner.

Blaine looked at him briefly and turned back to Kurt.

"He's thinking about asking you out" he said and grabbed Kurt's hand. "But now he thinks that we're together and he won't come here."

Kurt laughed and looked down at their hands. Blaine's fingers around his own felt warm and he never wanted to let go of them.

"Relax" Blaine said. "You don't have to be scared, not when I'm around."

"I don't remember when was the last time I could be completely careless" Kurt admitted.

"Well, there was that night for example, when you went bold and hooked up with a stranger" Blaine smiled.

"Oh, yes. It was days ago and I couldn't get rid of him since then" Kurt joked.

"Because you think he's irresistible" Blaine said.

"Nah, he wasn't that good" Kurt smiled.

"You're such a cruel man, Kurt Hummel" Blaine laughed.

"You're not the first guy telling me this" Kurt said.

"You really need to relax sometimes" Blaine said, turning serious again. "I barely know you but even I can see how exhausted you are."

Kurt sighed and looked down at his drink. 

"I try to be good in my job and at home as well. It's so hard" Kurt whispered.

"You do it well" Blaine said.

"No" Kurt smiled sadly, shaking his head. "My co-workers hate me because of my success and Danny has to grow up alone because I'm not there for him when he needs me."

"Where's his other father?" Blaine asked carefully.

"It's... complicated" Kurt said, looking away. "I will tell you someday but not now. I can't deal with more trouble right now."

"I understand" Blaine nodded, although he was dying to know more about Kurt's family. "Eat your muffin. You haven't even touched it."

"It's full of sugar" Kurt pointed out.

"What's wrong with sugar?" Blaine frowned.

"I'm an actor, Blaine. I have to keep my shape perfect" Kurt explained.

"Well, you look like an anorexic right now, so a muffin won't do any harm. Eat it" Blaine said.

"Fine" Kurt rolled his eyes. "Then I will be allowed to go to work, right?"

"We will see about it" Blaine joked.

~ o ~

By the time they finally appeared at Kurt's house again, they were both exhausted. It didn't bother Blaine, though, he had had worse, but Kurt seemed like he could collapse from exhaustion in any second. After breakfast, they had gone to the theatre for Kurt's rehearsal. If Blaine hadn't been working, he would have enjoyed watching Kurt on the stage. He had been absolutely breathtaking, his voice like an angel's, his movements smooth and graceful. It had been hard not to watch him in awe.

After the rehearsal, they had gone to the studio to work on Kurt's album and only then could they go home. Kurt hadn't taken a break the whole day, hadn't had lunch or a coffee, so Blaine had made himself a mental note to make sure the man eats something for breakfast every day because he needed the energy if he wanted to keep this up longer. Blaine knew that Kurt had lied to them about his working hours, that it wasn't ordinary for him to work so much. Usually, Blaine didn't care about his employers but Kurt was something else. He felt like electricity running through his body every time Kurt smiled at him or touched him accidentally. He couldn't let him get sick because of his work.

Nick was waiting outside of the house, his shoulders shaking with laughter. When he saw them, he tried to look serious but he couldn't suppress a smile.

"What is it?" Blaine asked as he and Kurt joined Nick.

"Jeff. He..." Nick laughed again, shaking his head. "You should get inside and see it."

Kurt frowned and went inside, Blaine following him closely. They found Wes in the living room, seemingly in a good mood.

"Okay, what's going on?" Kurt asked.

"I like your kid" Wes replied with a huge smile.

"What did he do this time?" Kurt asked, fearing that Danny might have done something inappropriate. It happened sometimes, especially when Kurt couldn't spend enough time with the boy. It was Danny's signal that he was lonely and he needed Kurt, making things like cutting the neighbour's roses or gluing the postman's hand to the handle. 

"He promised to eat his breakfast if he could paint this on my face" Jeff said as he stepped out of their bedroom, with a moustache painted with a black marker on his face. "Apparently, I can't wash it down."

Kurt looked at Danny's work with wide eyes, unable to decide if he should apologise first or find the boy and talk to him. The Warblers didn't seem to be angry, at least not Blaine and Wes who burst out in laughter, seeing their friend's face.

"Where's Danny?" Kurt asked finally.

"In his room. David is with him" Wes said when Jeff went back into his room to hide from his friends.

"Thank you" Kurt nodded. "Please, tell Jeff that I'm sorry. Danny's usually not like this. I don't know what's gotten into him but I will talk with him about it."

"Take it easy, Kurt" Wes smiled. "We had a great time thanks to your son and we will find a way to clean Jeff's face."

Kurt sighed and nodded again before he went upstairs where he found David standing in front of Danny's room.

"Is everything alright?" Kurt whispered to the man who was watching Danny through the open door of the room.

"He's waiting for you" David answered. "Your friend had to leave two hours ago but we had a great time with Danny."

"Yeah, I heard about it" Kurt muttered and stepped inside, closing the door.

Danny turned away from the screen once he heard Kurt's voice and threw his arms around the man as soon as he stepped inside.

"You're here" Danny said quietly.

"Of course I am" Kurt smiled. "Is everything alright?"

"You promised that you won't come home so late" Danny said.

"I know" Kurt replied. "But you know that I have to work. I can't always come home when I want to."

"You always say that" Danny replied.

Kurt sighed and tightened his arms around Danny. He was right, of course. Kurt had promised him a million times to come home earlier so they could spend some time together but since he had become successful in his job, he couldn't do that too often. He thought that the money he got for his work would be enough to make Danny happy but he wasn't sure anymore.

"We will spend the weekend together. Just you and me. Okay?" Kurt said.

"You said that the last time but you went to work" Danny said. 

"You're right" Kurt said. "But it will change soon. Give me some more time."

Danny pulled away and went back to his bed.

"What are we watching?" Kurt asked as he sat down beside the boy.

"Arthur" Danny replied.

"Is it for your age?" Kurt frowned.

"I don't know" Danny answered.

Kurt shook his head slowly. He was the worst parent ever. He didn't even know what his kid liked watching or how he spent his days.

"I saw Jeff's face" Kurt said after a while. "It really wasn't nice of you. He can't wash it off and his friends are making fun of him."

"He said that he would do anything if I ate breakfast" Danny explained. 

"You can't do this to them" Kurt said. "They're here to keep us safe. Please, be nice to the Warblers."

"Okay" Danny said but didn't seem to be sorry at all.

"I will make you something for dinner and then you can go to bed. Okay?" Kurt asked.

"I'm not hungry. Rachel made me pasta when we got home" Danny said.

"Then go, brush your teeth and I will sing to you" Kurt said.

"Yay!" Danny shouted excitedly and rushed into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

When he got back minutes later, he found Kurt lying on his bed, asleep. The boy sighed sadly, hesitating if he should wake Kurt. It wasn't the first time that the man had fallen asleep before they could spend some time together and Danny hated it. Kurt was more important than anybody else in his life and Danny needed him, but it didn't seem like Kurt cared about him anymore.

He got under the comforter, careful to not wake up Kurt and put his small hand on the man's chest. He fell asleep like that, listening to Kurt's steady breathing, with tears in his eyes.

~ o ~

The Warblers, on the other hand, were very much awake. With the help of the makeup remover Blaine had gotten from somewhere and a lot of effort, Jeff could finally get rid of his moustache. Wes went upstairs to watch Kurt and Danny while Nick checked on the newly set cameras outside. The rest of them sat down in the kitchen to have dinner and discuss the day.

"Anything at Danny's school?" Blaine asked.

"No. It seems like everybody likes the little devil" Jeff answered.

"Don't be angry with him. He's just a kid" Blaine smiled.

"I would gladly change with you tomorrow" Jeff rolled his eyes.

"No can do. Kurt's finally getting comfortable around me, I don't want this to change" Blaine said.

"You like him" Jeff said.

"Jeff" Blaine warned him. 

"Okay, okay. So how was your day?" Jeff asked.

"I found something interesting" Blaine said. "One of the actors in the theatre was acting weirdly. I want you to make a research on him."

"Name?" David asked.

"Chandler Kiehl" Blaine said. "He was watching Kurt the whole time, he went after him everywhere, even to the bathroom. I think there's something wrong with him."

"We will see" David nodded. "Anything else?"

"No. The others seem fine. Although we need to talk to Kurt, there can be somebody else. We know almost nothing about his family, friends or exes" Blaine said.

"I'm not sure he will be happy if we ask him about his privat life" Jeff grimanced.

"I know" Blaine sighed. "Especially since he seems to hide something."

"Oh?" David asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I asked him about Danny's other father but he didn't want to talk about it. I think that there's a story behind it we should know about" Blaine said.

"Well, in that case, my friend..." Jeff smiled. "...it's time to make the man fall for you and trust you enough to tell you about his past."

Blaine sighed, rubbing his forehead. He knew he had to get closer to Kurt, so they would find out what they were dealing with. But he wasn't sure if he could stay professional with his affection towards Kurt growing stronger.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

It was finally Saturday and Blaine leaned back against the wall as he watched Kurt and Danny. They had woken up late, mostly because Kurt had been too tired, no matter how hard Danny had tried to wake him earlier, and now they were in the kitchen, singing and dancing around while Kurt made them breakfast. It was the first time Blaine saw them acting like a real family and he had to admit, they were so sweet together. 

He knew how much Danny adored his father. He had seen the little guy several times when he had tried desperately to make Kurt get some time free for themselves and how disappointed he had been when Kurt couldn't stay with him. He had seen the sorrow in Kurt's eyes every time when they had left for work and noticed that it had made Kurt frustrated and silent most of the time. He knew that Kurt thought he was a bad parent but as Blaine watched him with his son, he saw how much he loved the little boy.

"Breakfast is ready" Kurt said and put down a plate in front of Danny. Then he turned to Blaine and smiled at him. "I made enough for you too, guys."

"Thank you, Kurt" Blaine said. "You shouldn't have tired yourself with cooking for us. We manage on our own."

"You keep us safe. You deserve so much" Kurt replied.

"I'm gonna call the others then. Can I stay here with you while you eat? You know, I should watch you all the time" Blaine said.

"Of course" Kurt nodded.

When Blaine left the room, Danny turned to Kurt.

"Do we have to eat with him?" he asked.

"What's wrong, honey? You don't want Blaine to eat with us?" Kurt frowned.

"I just want to be alone with you. He's always here" Danny said and looked at Blaine with wide eyes when to man came back.

"It's okay" Kurt whispered and squeezed his hand.

They ate in silence but Danny kept his eyes on the two adults. There was something going on between them, he knew it. Blaine smiled at Kurt too often and Kurt blushed when his eyes met Blaine's. He had never acted like this, not even when he had had that horrible boyfriend.

"What are your plans for today?" Blaine asked.

"We could go to the zoo. I promised Danny to spend the whole day together" Kurt replied and Danny nodded in agreement.

"I guess we can do that" Blaine nodded. "Wes and David should join us."

"I thought we would go there alone" Danny said quietly.

"We can't, you know that" Kurt said patiently. "They're our bodyguards. They have to come with us."

"But they came with me to school, too" Danny said, not really understanding the situation.

"It's just periodical, I swear" Kurt said. "You know that there's a bad guy out there and we need Blaine and the others until the police finds him."

"Because he wants to hurt us?" Danny asked.

Kurt looked at Blaine for help. He didn't want to scare Danny but the boy knew too much already. Blaine smiled at him reassuringly and turned to Danny.

"Most of these guys aren't that dangerous. They send letters and make phone calls but mostly that's all" Blaine explained.

"Why are you here then?" Danny asked.

"Because your daddy wants to make sure this man won't come near your home again" Blaine answered.

"Because he's dangerous?" Danny asked.

"No" Kurt said quickly. He didn't want to scare Danny needlessly. The boy had nightmares since that night when the man had broken into their house and he was worried about him.

"Not when we're around" Blaine said, his eyes never leaving Kurt.

"I guess they can come with us then" Danny nodded thoughtfully. "I can't wait to see the see lions again!"

"Interesting choice" Blaine said.

"You don't like them?" Danny asked.

"I like the penguins better" Blaine answered. "You know, they're a lot more intelligent than they seem. They have a secret underground path and they sneak out in the evenings to have fun in the city."

"Really?" Danny asked with shining eyes.

"Yeah. I met them in the pub a few days ago" Blaine smiled.

"Will you show me their secret exit?" Danny asked.

"We will talk about it" Blaine said. "Now let's get ready, the penguins are waiting for us."

Danny finished his breakfast in record time and rushed out of the kitchen to get ready for the day. When they were left alone, Kurt turned towards Blaine with a raised eyebrow.

"Runaway penguins in the city?" he asked.

"Have you not seen Madagascar?" Blaine laughed.

"Oh, dear God. You better find a secret door at the penguins or else Danny won't leave you alone" Kurt said.

"Don't worry, I know all the secret ways in the zoo" Blaine winked.

"You're great with children" Kurt said.

"I'm trying" Blaine sighed. "I don't have too much experience but I don't think it's so hard."

"If you knew..." Kurt sighed.

Blaine got up and went to Kurt to squeeze his hand.

"Let's go. The penguins are waiting."

~ o ~

Blaine really enjoyed the ride to the zoo. Danny was excited and couldn't stop talking about the animals. He asked Kurt several questions, shared his plans for the day. It was the first time that Danny wasn't shy around them and it was a good sign. He hadn't forgotten about what he had discussed with the others a few days earlier, that he should get closer to Kurt and ask him about his past. If he wanted to do so, he had to get close to Danny first. The boy's opinion was very important for Kurt and if he saw that Danny was fine with Blaine, maybe he would trust him. 

He felt uneasy about getting close to Kurt just because of their job. He would have never admitted it, but he liked the man, a lot more than he should have. He was thinking about asking Kurt out when all of this was over and if Kurt figured out what was going on... Well, he would never talk to Blaine again. 

"We're here" Kurt said, smiling at Danny.

"Yeah!" the boy shouted and jumped out of the car.

"Slowly" Kurt called after him when Danny ran to the entrance.

"Hurry, Kurt!" Danny said excitedly, waiting for the adults to join him. He couldn't wait to get inside.

Kurt shook his head and went to buy their tickets. Danny couldn't stay still, he rushed back to Kurt and pulled at his jacket to get him move faster.

"Okay, Danny. What do you want to see first?" Kurt asked.

"The penguins! They have a secret exit! Will you show me that, Blaine?" Danny asked as he turned to the man.

"Uhm... sure" Blaine muttered. He just hoped that he could fool Danny and he wouldn't find out that he had lied to him.

"This way!" Danny said and showed them the way. He had been here with Kurt several times, he knew very well where to find the penguins.

"You better show my son what he wants, Anderson" Kurt whispered, smiling. "You don't want him to be disappointed, right?"

"Trust me, I will find him a secret exit, even if it doesn't exist" Blaine winked, satisfied with the blush that spread across Kurt's cheeks.

They reached the penguins in no time and Kurt leaned back against the wall as he watched Blaine and Danny talk about the animals. Blaine seemed really good with the little boy, he hadn't noticed it earlier. They acted so naturally as if Blaine was Danny's father. He lifted the boy into the air, so he could get a better view of the penguins, they laughed and shouted happily. Just like a happy family.

Kurt shook his head and looked away, ashamed. He shouldn't have thought about Blaine like this. He had nothing to do with Danny and he only acted like this because it was his job. They had to live together for a while and Blaine surely just did it to befriend himself with the boy, so the next few months wouldn't be a disaster. 

Kurt looked at them again, sadly. Danny deserved a real family, a real father who knew how to handle children. It wasn't like Kurt hadn't tried to have someone, so he didn't have to raise Danny alone. He had tried, really, but it had ended badly. After that, he had made sure he never got close enough to someone to move in with them. His last boyfriend had made their life a living hell, especially in the end and Kurt had needed all of his willpower to break up with him. They had to move into another house where he couldn't find them and Danny had needed a therapist because he had had nightmares. 

Kurt would never have admitted it to anyone, but he was lonely. Even if he had a wonderful child, he missed having a partner. A man who would wait for him every night when he came home from work, who would talk to him once Danny was asleep, who would share his bed with Kurt. He knew it was the reason why he worked so much. He hated the thought that he couldn't give Danny a father he deserved and he hated how empty and quiet their house was when he was alone in the living room at night. Sadly, his fear was still so strong, especially with his stalker around, that he wouldn't be ready for a relationship in the near future. 

"Kurt, come here!" Danny said and reached out towards him.

"Coming" Kurt smiled and stepped forward, pushing his thoughts about his misery to the back of his mind.

"The penguins are thinking about running away tonight" Danny said seriously. "But be quiet, they don't know we know about them."

Kurt pressed his lips together not to laugh and turned to Blaine for an explanation.

"It was his idea, don't look at me like this" the man shrugged.

"Of course" Kurt muttered and turned to Danny. "Do you want to see the other animals?"

"Yes!" the boy shouted.

"Which way?" Kurt asked. Before Danny could answer, Kurt's phone started ringing and he looked down at it, sighing. "I'm sorry, I have to answer this."

He walked away from them and had a short conversation with whoever was on the other end of the line. What the others could see was Kurt turning pale and somber, he shook his head and started talking again. When he disconnected the call, he took a deep breath before he went back to the others.

"We need to go" he said quietly.

"What? Why? We've just arrived!" Danny said in disbelief.

"There's something wrong with the recording we did yesterday" Kurt explained. "We need to do it again. I'm gonna call Rachel and ask her to bring you home."

"It's Saturday" David said quietly. He felt bad when he saw how disappointed Danny looked.

"It must be ready this week or the record label won't pay for it" Kurt said. 

"But... but today was our day. You promised that you wouldn't work today" Danny said, blinking back his tears.

"I'm sorry" Kurt said and crouched down in front of the boy to hug him. "We will go out tomorrow. I promise."

"You always say that!" Danny said and pushed Kurt away. He was shaking with anger and his eyes turned red as he started crying.

"I'm sorry, Danny, I really am. But I can't do anything" Kurt said sadly and turned to Blaine. "You come with me, right?"

Before Blaine could reply, Danny stepped back to Kurt, his eyes full of betrayal. 

"Why can he go with you and why do I have to go home?" he asked.

"Blaine has to come with me because he's my bodyguard" Kurt explained.

Danny looked at Blaine and the man was surprised by the boy's hateful look.

"I don't want him to go with you" Danny said.

"Danny..." Kurt started, rubbing his forehead.

"Bring somebody else. I don't want him to go with you" Danny said again and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Fine!" Kurt said in frustration. "Blaine, David, bring Danny to the exit. I'm gonna send Rachel there."

"You don't have to call her, we can bring Danny home" Blaine suggested.

"That would be great. Thank you" Kurt said. He tried to give Danny a goodbye kiss but the boy didn't even look at him. Kurt shook his head slowly and turned to leave. He screwed up. Again. And he wasn't sure if Danny would talk to him after this ever again.

~ o ~

When Kurt and Wes got home that night, they found the rest of the Warblers in the kitchen with Danny. The boy was having dinner while Jeff and Nick told him funny stories and David watched them from the counter. The only person missing was Blaine who could be somewhere else in the house.

"Good evening, guys" Kurt said quietly as he stepped forward.

The room fell silent in a blink and everybody looked at Kurt. The man smiled sadly. He wasn't surprised that Danny was still angry with him and rushed out of the kitchen the moment he saw Kurt, but he didn't expect such looks he got from the Warblers. He should have been prepared for this. Wes hadn't said a word the whole day but his expression had told Kurt that he agreed with Danny about Kurt's wrong choice. David and Nick at least tried to seem neutral – althought they failed badly – but Jeff didn't even hide his feelings from Kurt. Kurt didn't blame him. In their eyes, he was just a workaholic celebrity who was able to leave his only son in the zoo to go to work, they had no idea why he did it.

"Uhm... I'm gonna talk to him" he said, searching for a reason to leave. He felt so uncomfortable. "Thank you for making dinner."

Nobody moved or said a word, so Kurt nodded and left hastily. He knew he shouldn't have felt this way, he was the employer and the others had no right to act like this in front of him. It didn't mean he didn't feel bad. Not at all. He had hurt Danny again and it was his fault, nobody else's.

"Danny" he called out as he knocked on the boy's door. "Can I come in?"

There was no answer. Kurt sighed and knocked again.

"Danny, please, let me explain..."

"Go away!" Danny shouted and from the loud thud that followed his words, Kurt suspected that he threw something against the door.

"Alright" he whispered and stepped away from the door.

He had no idea where to go, though. He didn't want to go back to his room because it meant being alone and it was the last thing he wanted. He couldn't go downstairs either. Most of the Warblers must have been there and he didn't want to see them. 

He was out of options, so he decided to go back to his room and think. He took a few steps towards his door but he stopped when he heard noises coming from the music room. Someone was playing the piano and he did it pretty well.

Kurt opened the door carefully and peeked inside. Blaine was sitting on the piano bench, playing a soft, calming tune. Kurt smiled and leaned against the doorframe as he watched him. He hadn't known that Blaine played so well. He could tell that the man had had years of practice and he was really talented. His fingers were running on the keyboard smoothly, he had his eyes closed and his lips slightly parted. Blaine looked amazing. Kurt was wondering how he had ended up as a bodyguard with so much talent.

"Are you enjoying it?"

Kurt jumped in surprise when Blaine stopped playing and turned towards him.

"You scared me!" Kurt said with his hand over his heart.

"You were the one who sneaked into the room" Blaine pointed out.

"I'm sorry. I heard the music and wanted to see who was playing" Kurt said. 

"I know I shouldn't have used the piano without your permission..."

"It's fine" Kurt smiled. "You're really talented, Blaine."

"Thank you" Blaine said and looked down. "I used to play when I was younger but I stopped after graduation."

"Why?" Kurt asked and stepped closer to sit down beside Blaine.

"I just..." Blaine looked at the keyboard and bit his lip. "It's complicated."

"Tell me" Kurt said, smiling reassuringly.

"My parents don't like arts" Blaine said. "They wanted me to learn something useful. Get a good job, earn a lot of money. They thought that my piano lessons were useless."

"How did you become a bodyguard?" Kurt wondered.

"I finished my first semester at Ohio University" Blaine started. "I hated it. I didn't want to waste my time for something I knew I wouldn't use in my life. So I left. My parents were so angry with me, they kicked me out, so I needed a job. That's how it started."

"That is awful" Kurt said and squeezed Blaine's hand.

"It's fine" Blaine said. "Jeff's mother offered me to stay with them until a got a job. So when I saved enough money to start to work with a team and move to New York, I asked him and my old friends from high school to join me. I'm happy to work with them."

"Why do you call yourself Warblers?" Kurt asked.

"It's from high school" Blaine explained. "We attended Dalton Academy. The Glee club there was named Warblers."

"Dalton Academy? Isn't it the private school in Westerville?" Kurt frowned.

"It is" Blaine smiled. "Do you know it?"

"Oh, yes. I come from Lima. We competed against the Warblers several times. And we won, by the way" Kurt said, slapping Blaine's shoulder lightly.

"No wonder. You have the most amazing voice I've ever heard" Blaine said honestly.

"I never had a solo in high school" Kurt admitted. "I was too shy and afraid of the stage."

"How did you become a singer then?" Blaine asked.

"It's a long story" Kurt sighed and stood up. "I will tell you one day. But not now. I would like to sleep but I have to figure out how to make Danny to talk to me."

"Give him some time" Blaine advised. "He isn't angry with you. He's just hurt because today didn't go as he planned it. It will be fine tomorrow."

"I hope that you're right" Kurt sighed. "I'm sorry for what he said to you today. It was all my fault."

"Nah, that's not true" Blaine smiled. "He's jealous. He can feel that something happened between us."

"Did you tell him?" Kurt asked with wide eyes.

"No, of course not" Blaine shook his head. "I respect your decision. I won't tell anyone unless you want me to."

"You're a great guy, you know?" Kurt said quietly.

"That's what everybody says after spending a night with me" Blaine winked.

"You are not that great" Kurt said.

"Hey, that's not what you said earlier!" Blaine gasped.

"I changed my mind" Kurt laughed.

"You're so cruel, Kurt Hummel" Blaine said and shook his head, but he couldn't hide his own smile.

"I know. But you like me like this" Kurt said flirtily.

"Sure, honey" Blaine played along.

They fell silent, both of them thinking about continuing the conversation. They both had a great time but didn't know how the other felt.

"I guess I should go to sleep now" Kurt said finally.

"Yeah. Me-me too" Blaine nodded.

"Good night, Blaine" Kurt said as he stepped to the door.

"Good night" Blaine said, looking after Kurt dreamily. What was this feeling in his chest? He had never felt it before.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, Guys!  
> Here is the new chapter, I hope you like it. Please, let me know what you think.  
> Warning: mentions and description of abusive relationship

 

Kurt was close to tears. He spent the whole morning in front of Danny's room, trying to convince the boy to come out. He knocked several times, asked Danny to let him in, to come out, everything. Danny didn't even bother to reply. He knew that it was all his fault of course, he should have stayed with the boy the previous day and ignore every phone call but it was too late to change the past. He just wanted to talk about it with Danny, say how sorry he was and spend the day with the boy.

 

"Danny, please, open the door" he asked and knocked on the door again. Nothing. "This is ridiculous!"

 

"Is everything alright?"

 

Kurt turned away from the door and smiled weakly at Blaine who had two mugs in his hands.

 

"He still doesn't want to talk to me" Kurt explained.

 

"Give him some more time" Blaine said and stepped closer. "Here. I made you coffee."

 

"Thank you" Kurt said and took a mug from Blaine. "Hm, this is great."

 

"Vanilla latte. The queen of the coffees" Blaine smiled.

 

"You're full of surprises, Blaine" Kurt said and took another sip from his coffee.

 

"Oh, if you knew..." Blaine laughed. "Uhm, it's my day off, so I'm heading out but the others will be here."

 

Kurt tried not to seem disappointed. He was so used to Blaine's presence, his smile and gentle words, he didn't want to spend the whole day without him.

 

"Have a good time" Kurt said with a forced smile. "Where are you going?"

 

Okay, that was rude, he shouldn't have asked Blaine about how he spent his life outside work but he couldn't take it back now. Luckily, Blaine didn't seem to be offended by the question.

 

"To that café I showed you the other day. I'm dying for pancakes" Blaine said as he walked to Danny's room and continued a little louder. "I wanted to ask Danny to come with me, they have the most delicious pancakes in the whole state but since he doesn't want to leave his room, I guess I have to go alone."

 

In the next second, Danny opened the door and peeked out. He looked tired, he was too pale and his hair was a mess, but he had a small smile on his face and seemed excited.

 

"We're gonna have pancakes?" he asked.

 

"Yes" Blaine said, looking at Kurt for a second. "But I guess your father wants to talk to you first."

 

Danny looked at Kurt, his smile disappearing instantly.

 

"Danny, please..." Kurt said quietly as he stepped closer to the boy.

 

"Fine" Danny sighed and walked back into his room but left the door open for Kurt.

 

"I will be downstairs. Tell me when you're ready to go" Blaine whispered to Kurt and turned to leave.

 

Kurt took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Danny was sitting on his bed with his legs crossed in front of him and he looked down at the sheet. Kurt could tell that he was still hurt.

 

"I'm sorry for yesterday" he said and sat down beside the boy. "You were right. I promised you to spend the day with you and I left. I-I know I was wrong but it won't happen again. Please, forgive me."

 

"You always say that" Danny replied.

 

"I know" Kurt sighed and rubbed his forehead. "But this time it will change. I will change. I will be a better father, I promise."

 

"I miss you" Danny said quietly. "You work so much and I'm always alone."

 

"I miss you too, honey" Kurt said and pulled the boy into a hug. "I wanted to give you everything you need and I didn't realise that I didn't spend enough time with you."

 

"Don't work so much" Danny said. "Stay home with me."

 

"I guess that's what I will do or at least try" Kurt nodded. "Let's make a deal: we spend every single Sunday and at least one afternoon a week together, no matter what. If I forget..."

 

"You make me cheeseburger!" Danny cut in.

 

"No way. It's unhealthy" Kurt said.

 

"Then don't forget about me and you don't have to do any" Danny smiled adorably.

 

"You know what? I think Jeff was right about you being a little devil" Kurt laughed.

 

"I am!" Danny cried out happily.

 

"Get ready, honey" Kurt said and kissed the boy's forehead as he stood up. "Blaine's waiting for us downstairs."

 

"Pancakes!" Danny shouted and jumped to his wardrobe in record time, pulling out the first clothes he found. Kurt shook his head but laughed as he watched his excited son.

 

~ o ~

 

If Danny hadn't been so excited, Kurt would have asked them to find another place. The café was full when they arrived, there was a long line of people waiting for their orders and they couldn't find an empty table. The crowd frustrated Kurt, he couldn't be calm with so many people around because of the threats but Danny was so happy to be there, he didn't want to ruin his mood. So he took a deep breath and stepped inside with Blaine and Danny. Wes and Nick joined them that day but they stayed outside, only watching them through the window to give them privacy. Blaine held his gaze on the people inside to make sure Kurt and Danny were safe, staying alert the whole time but he didn't show the faintest sign of concern, so the others didn't notice anything.

 

While they were waiting, Danny kept talking to Kurt, telling him almost every single detail of the week. Blaine smiled as he listened to the boy. Danny was mostly quiet but this time he seemed like an ordinary boy at his age who found everything out of order interesting. Kurt listened to him patiently, only nodding or humming in agreement a few times. He seemed to find everything Danny told him thrilling.

 

"...and when Mrs Olsen turned away, Brian took Mandy's puppet and didn't want to give her back. He and Aiden and Henry laughed and told Mandy that they would drop the puppet into the toilet because she was too old to have it" Danny said seriously.

 

"That was really not nice of them" Kurt said.

 

"I didn't laugh with them. But I gave Mandy a tissue when she started crying and stayed with her in the break because Mrs Olsen gave her puppet back when she saw what Brian did and I helped her protect her puppet" Danny continued.

 

"You did the right thing. I'm proud of you" Kurt smiled.

 

"I hope she likes me now because she's a nice girl and I want to marry her" Danny said.

 

Blaine bit his lower lip and turned away because it was hard to stop himself from laughing. If it was because of Danny's serious expression or how shocked Kurt seemed after the statement, he didn't know. One thing was for sure, he had a great time while listening to the small family's conversation.

 

"Well... Uhm.... Unfortunately, it won't happen in the next ten years but I'm sure Mandy appreciated your gesture" Kurt said in the end.

 

"How many pancakes would you like?" Blaine asked to change topic. He could tell that Kurt felt uncomfortable, even if topics like marriage were completely natural at this age. He remembered that he had wanted to marry half of his class when he had been younger and he had planned to have at least three kids. Now that he was an adult, he had other plans.

 

"Five!" Danny answered.

 

"Two will be enough" Kurt said. "You had breakfast at home, you won't be able to eat so many pancakes."

 

"I can always eat pancakes!" Danny said.

 

"I'm gonna order two and we can ask for more if you're still hungry" Blaine suggested.

 

"Yeah, that would be great" Kurt smiled.

 

The guests finished breakfast at one of the tables and Blaine pushed Kurt gently towards it.

 

"Sit down, I will be back in a minute" he said.

 

"Here" Kurt said as he pulled out his credit card from his wallet but Blaine didn't take it.

 

"My treat" he smiled.

 

"I can't accept it" Kurt said.

 

"You can" Blaine disagreed.

 

"Blaine..." Kurt sighed. It was Blaine's day off and he spent it with him and Danny. It was a lot more than the bodyguard should do for them, Kurt couldn't let him pay as well.

 

"Sit down. Your kid's waiting" Blaine said and turned away from him to order their food.

 

Kurt shook his head but went back to Danny, making himself a mental note to pay Blaine for their food later. Blaine followed them a few minutes later with a large amount of pancakes, a milkshake and two cups of coffee. He placed the tray onto the table and sat down, handing out their drinks and pancakes.

 

"Alright, guys, let's eat because I'm starving" Blaine said and started eating just as esthusiastically as Danny. Kurt stayed unmoving, waching the scene in front of him with a smile. Blaine seemed to be excited about pancakes like little kids were.

 

"Kurt, try it" Danny said between two bites.

 

"I'm not hungry" Kurt replied.

 

"You need to taste it. They make the best pancakes of the world" Blaine said.

 

"Alright" Kurt rolled his eyes but started eating as well.

 

"He likes it" Blaine whispered to Danny as they watched Kurt close his eyes and hum happily.

 

"We can come back and eat here every day" Danny smiled.

 

"No way" Kurt laughed.

 

"Then next Sunday. You promised me, remember?" Danny asked.

 

"Of course I do" Kurt nodded.

 

"And we could ask Mandy if she wants to come with us" Danny said.

 

"Fine" Kurt agreed. "I need to meet my daughter-in-law before you two get married."

 

Blaine turned away again, snickering at the comment. He had no idea how Kurt could stay serious during the whole conversation, probably because he was an actor and it wasn't that hard for him to hide his feelings. When he caught Blaine watching him, Kurt smiled slightly and winked but then turned back to his son who was telling him another story from school.

 

~ o ~

 

Later that day, after a lot of playing and watching cartoons, Danny passed out on the couch and Kurt carried him upstairs into his room. When he walked back downstairs to have something for dinner, he found Blaine in front of the mirror.

 

"Going somewhere?" he asked quietly.

 

"Uhm, yeah" Blaine answered. "I'm still free till tomorrow morning and I decided to go out for a couple of hours."

 

"Have a great time" Kurt said, smiling.

 

They stayed unmoving, staring into each other's eyes.

 

"Well, I..." Kurt said, motioning towards the kitchen.

 

"Yeah. Me-me too" Blaine nodded and with one last deep breath, he turned away. He heard Kurt's footsteps as he made his way towards the kitchen and he turned around sharply, speaking again before he could stop himself. "Would you like to come with me?"

 

Kurt stopped immediately and when he turned around to face Blaine, his cheeks were scarlet.

 

"You... you mean like..."

 

"It's not a date" Blaine said hastily. _But I want it to be._

 

"Of course not. You're my bodyguard, so..." Kurt turned even redder.

 

"So..."

 

"So..."

 

"Would you... come with me?" Blaine asked hesitantly.

 

"Yeah" Kurt nodded. _What am I doing?_

 

"Great!" Blaine clapped his hands happily.

 

"Just let me grab my coat" Kurt said and literally ran upstairs to be back down as soon as he could.

 

~ o ~

 

Blaine led Kurt to a bar he had never seen before. No wonder, the whole area seemed deserted and dangerous, but Blaine assured him that they would be okay. He seemed so sure that Kurt found himself nodding and followed Blaine. The place the man had chosen was hidden between two old buildings and seemed dirty from the outside. Kurt took a deep breath and stepped inside behind Blaine, hoping that it wouldn't be that bad inside.

 

To his surprise, it wasn't. The place looked surprisingly clean and the furniture was new, it looked like any trendy place downtown.

 

"Do you like it?" Blaine smiled.

 

"I expected an old bartender with dirty glasses and a lot of drunken homeless people, so yeah, you can say that" Kurt muttered.

 

"I used to live here when I started business" Blaine said.

 

"Here?" Kurt asked in surprise.

 

"Not in the bar" Blaine rolled his eyes. "I had a small room in the neighbourhood. I was bored one night and I decided to come down here and try the place. I was as surprised as you now."

 

"I guess I shouldn't judge from the first look" Kurt said.

 

Blaine smiled at him and took his hand.

 

"Come on, we should find a table" he said and led Kurt further into the room.

 

They ordered their drinks and sat down. Blaine considered asking Kurt about himself but the man didn't seem to be in the mood to talk, so Blaine decided to tell him stories about himself and the other Warblers.

 

Blaine had a real good sense of how to make people feel well, Kurt decided. He listened to all of the stories Blaine told him and he laughed a lot. Blaine told him a lot about his high school years. He talked about how they serenaded a boy Blaine had liked, how the boy had rejected him in the middle of the GAP where the impromptu performance had taken place. Blaine talked about the incident when Wes and David had tried to sneak out in the middle of the night to meet their girlfriends but David had gotten stuck while climbing over the fence and when he could finally climb down, cutting his pants, they had been caught and David had to walk back to the building in his underwear since his pants had been completely ruined. And he talked about their first party where Jeff and Nick had been so drunk that they had confessed their undying love to each other – even if they had never been together – and the others had to keep them apart, so they couldn't do anything they would have regretted later.

 

"Don't tell them that I shared all of their dirty secrets with you" Blaine winked. When Kurt blushed and looked away, Blaine looked around quickly to check the room for possible danger but luckily, everything seemed fine.

 

"My lips are sealed" Kurt replied.

 

"It's your turn" Blaine said suddenly.

 

"Uhm... what?" Kurt asked in confusion.

 

"You know a lot about me but I know nothing about you" Blaine explained.

 

Kurt looked down again. There were a lot of details of his life he didn't want to share with Blaine. Not because he didn't trust the man but he felt ashamed and didn't want Blaine to know about them. Luckily, he was saved by a man walking up to them.

 

"Hey, guys" the man – a tall blond guy with bright blue eyes – said in a deep voice, leaning closer to Blaine. "I saw you looking into my direction a few times and I just want to let you know that if you would like to dance, I'm in."

 

Blaine blinked in surprise. He had looked at this man, of course, just like at the other guests in the room but only because he wanted to make sure that Kurt was safe. He wanted nothing from this guy.

 

"Thank you but I think it has to be a misunderstanding" Blaine said and grabbed Kurt's hand, trying to seem as in love with him as he could.

 

"Oh. OH! I'm sorry" the man said with wide eyes and left quickly.

 

"You shouldn't have done that" Kurt said quietly but didn't let go of Blaine's hand. Its warmth on his own felt so great. "If you want to dance with him, you can go. I would be fine alone, really."

 

"I don't want to dance with him or any of these guys" Blaine smiled. "I didn't come here to find someone tonight. So let's go back to our original topic."

 

"What do you want to know?" Kurt asked.

 

"You said that you would tell me about that former boyfriend of yours" Blaine said. He knew that it was the wrong request the second he finished his sentence. Kurt got tense and pulled his hand back, looking away. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

 

"No, it's fine" Kurt said and emptied his glass with a gulp. He was everything but fine.

 

"Kurt..."

 

"I promised you to talk about it. It's just... It's really hard for me, even after all these years."

 

Kurt took a deep breath and tried to figure out where to start. He had never talked about Sebastian, the only person who knew the truth about him was Danny.

 

"I met him when I moved back to New York" he started. "His name was Sebastian. I didn't want to do anything with him first but he kept asking me out and in the end, I said 'yes'. It was a dark time of my life, I just started building my life back up after... So I had a hard time. I just realised how hard it was raising a kid on my own and I felt so alone. We started dating and we moved in together a few months later. It seemed perfect at first."

 

Kurt wished he had some more of his drink left. He barely drank but this time he felt like he needed some alcohol, hoping that he could forget the past.

 

"As the time passed, I realised that Sebastian was far from perfect. He was... a violent man" he continued.

 

"What do you mean?" Blaine asked in concern.

 

Kurt couldn't continue. He remembered all the sharp words, the bruises all over his body, the fear for his and Danny's life.

 

"He used to hit me. He always promised that it wouldn't happen again and he made me feel like it was all my fault. But he didn't stop. He started beating me up regurarly" Kurt said.

 

"Oh my God! Why-why didn't you do anything? Whay didn't you ask for help?" Blaine asked in horror. He had no idea what Kurt had been through in his past.

 

"I didn't want to cause more trouble. My friends helped me a lot when Danny was younger and it wasn't like they could do it for me. I had to get out of it alone" Kurt answered.

 

"And you did" Blaine smiled sadly.

 

"Yeah..."

 

_Kurt went home late that night after a double shift in the restaurant. He could barely stand on his feet and wanted nothing but a good sleep. Unfortunately, that didn't happen that night._

 

_As he stepped into the living room, he heard loud voices coming from the kitchen. One of them was Sebastian and he was angry but it wasn't what made Kurt's heart skip a beat. The other voice coming from the kitchen was Danny's and he seemed to be afraid. Kurt dropped everything he had in his hands and rushed into the kitchen. What he saw there could have never happened._

 

_Danny was pressed to the counter, barely visible behind a lot taller Sebastian who held the boy's arms in a tight grip._

 

_"What's going on here?" Kurt shouted and without thinking, he pushed Sebastian away and pulled Danny into his arms._

 

_"I-I waited for you. I didn't do anything wrong" Danny sobbed._

 

_"I told him to go to sleep as you asked me but the little prick didn't listen to me" Sebastian explained in a bored tone._

 

_"What did you call him?" Kurt gasped._

 

_"He should know his place" Sebastian continued. "I tolerate him because of you but this is my house, I'm the boss and you two do as I tell you."_

 

_"It can be your house but I pay for the half of everything, so you have no right to tell us what to do" Kurt replied._

 

_"I can kick you out whenever I want and you can go with your kid under the bridge" Sebastian said._

 

_"Do it and I'll go to the police and tell them everything about you" Kurt threatened._

 

_Sebastian moved fast, faster than anybody Kurt had seen before. He raised his arm into the air and slammed it down, hitting Kurt so hard that he fell back and knocked his head into the counter._

 

_"Try it once and I will make sure you won't be able to tell anybody again" Sebastian said angrily and turned around, leaving Kurt and Danny on the kitchen floor._

 

_Kurt pushed himself up into a sitting position and tried to smile reassuringly at Danny but the boy kept crying, looking even more terrified than before._

 

_"It's gonna be okay" Kurt said._

 

_Danny hiccuped and threw his arms around Kurt._

 

_"I want to go. Please! I'm scared!" Danny cried._

 

_Kurt put his arms around Danny and kissed his forehead, wincing in pain. Sebastian had hit him hard this time._

 

_"Please" Danny repeated, his whole body shaking with fear._

 

Kurt reached up and wipped his tears away. He tried to be strong but talking about that night was literally painful.

 

"So we left" he said, his voice barely a whisper. "We waited for Sebastian to fall asleep and then I collected our things and left with Danny in the middle of the night. We stayed with Rachel for a while and I found another job, I changed phone numbers and made sure Sebastian could never find us again."

 

"You should have told the police" Blaine said gently, horrified.

 

"His family is rich and influental. I was nobody back then, I just started playing smaller rolls. He would have gotten away with it and I had no energy left to get through such a painful process" Kurt said.

 

"You're so brave. No wonder Danny likes you so much" Blaine said and moved closer to Kurt, so he could put his arms around the man.

 

"I'm not. I was young and foolish. I believed that people could change but now I know that's not true" Kurt sighed. "Can we go home? I'm tired."

 

"Of course" Blaine nodded.

 

The ride home was completely silent. Blaie was the driver since he hadn't had any alcohol but he found it hard focusing on the road because he couldn't keep his concerned gaze away from Kurt. When they got back to the house, Kurt was barely able to walk. Blaine put an arm around him and helped him up the stairs and into his room. He lifted the man into his bed and was ready to leave when Kurt called after him.

 

"Would you stay with me for a while? Until I fall asleep?" Kurt asked with closed eyes.

 

It was probably because of the alcohol in his system or the memories he had shared with Blaine that night, because Blaine knew for sure that normally Kurt wouldn't ask such a thing from him. But now Kurt seemed so vulnerable and sad, he wanted to make it better, so he walked back to the bed and after a second of hesitation, he climbed into the bed next to Kurt.

 

_What am I doing?_

 

"Thank you" Kurt said and snuggled up to Blaine.

 

"Good night, Kurt" Blaine whispered and kissed Kurt's forehead.

 

He knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep that night. Thinking about what had happened to Kurt and Danny made him feel sick and angry. He hoped that someday he would have a chance to show that Sebastian guy what assholes like him deserved.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Blaine had managed to fall asleep somehow but luckily, he woke up way before sunrise. Kurt was still asleep beside him, with his arms around Blaine. It felt so comfortable and warm, Blaine didn't want to get up ever. But he had to. He knew that it would be awkward for both of them if he stayed, especially after what had happened between them earlier. The previous night had been another mistake and it wouldn't have happened if Kurt's head had been clear. 

Blaine took a deep breath and got up. He had that weird feeling in his chest every time he thought about Kurt and it became stronger with every day they spent together. He had no idea what it was, though. He had never felt like this in his whole life, it made him uncertain and confused. What was so special in Kurt Hummel that he couldn't find in another man?

He looked at Kurt one more time, fighting off the urge to lean down and kiss him in his sleep and went downstairs. He had to clear his head, so he decided to change clothes and go out for a run. In the end, he spent more than an hour outside, running down the unfamiliar streets, thinking about Kurt and the night before. 

Kurt was such a strong person. Blaine had no idea how he could survive in a horrible relationship he had had and still stay strong after that. It had to be hard. He pressed his eyes closed as he thought about the broken expression of Kurt as he had told him about him and Sebastian. Blaine decided to tell the others about that man as soon as he got back to Kurt's house. They had to find out who that man was, so they could talk to him. There was a chance that man could be Kurt's stalker but even if he had nothing to do with the current situation, Blaine wanted to meet him and hopefully break a few bones to teach Sebastian how to handle his boyfriends in the future. 

When Blaine got back to the house, he took a shower and got dressed in his usual dark jeans and tight shirt. He walked into the kitchen to make himself a coffee and he found Jeff leaning against the counter with a mug in his hand. When he saw Blaine, a huge smile appeared on his face.

"Good morning" Blaine greeted him and went to make a coffee. Jeff remained silent but he kept smiling at Blaine. "What?"

"I saw you last night" Jeff explained.

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Blaine said a little too hastily.

"You spent the night with Kurt" Jeff said. "Does it mean what I think it means?"

"It means nothing, Jeff" Blaine said. "He had a bad day and asked me to stay with him. Nothing happened."

"Uh-hu" Jeff nodded. "So if I ask your boyfriend he's gonna say the same?"

"He isn't my boyfriend" Blaine sighed. "You asked me to get close to him, so we can learn more about his past. I just did what I had to."

"Right. So did you find out something?" Jeff asked, still not believing Blaine.

"Yes" Blaine said in frustration. Why couldn't Jeff just leave him alone? "He had a boyfriend named Sebastian. He was a real asshole from what Kurt told me. He terrorized him and Danny, he hit Kurt and when things got out of control, Kurt and Danny had to run away from him."

Jeff's expression turned serious in a second as he listened to Blaine. He hated violence, especially when innocents like Kurt and Danny became the victims of some aggressive jerks.

"What's his last name? We need to get more informations about him" Jeff said.

"I don't know. Kurt's still afraid of him and he didn't tell me more last night" Blaine said.

"We will find him" Jeff assured him.

"Thank you. Have you got anything about that Chandler guy?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, yes. Just a second, I'm gonna call Nick" Jeff said and rushed out of the kitchen. When he got back, he had a sleepy looking Nick beside him.

"I hope it's an emergency" Nick groaned. "I had the night shift if you don't remember."

"Oh, come on, you had worse" Jeff said and pressed a mug of coffee into Nick's hand. "Tell Blaine what you found about Chandler Kiehl."

Nick emptied his mug in record time to make his brain work after the long night. Jeff poured him some more coffee and even gave him half of his sandwich.

"Wow, you haven't been so nice to me since high school" Nick smiled. "Alright. So I made a research as you asked me and found some interesting facts about Chandler."

"I'm listening" Blaine said.

"He worked in Ohio before he moved here, he was kicked out of his last workplace" Nick said.

"Oh? Why?" Blaine asked.

"Because he stalked another actor" Nick answered. "There wasn't a case but I found a few records about him."

"Interesting" Blaine muttered. "I guess I have to talk to Chandler."

"There's another one" Jeff told Nick. "Kurt's ex. His name is Sebastian but we don't know more about him."

"He comes from a rich family and he lived with Kurt about two or three years ago" Blaine said.

"Wouldn't it be easier to ask Kurt?" Nick asked.

"We can't" Blaine said. "Kurt was so upset when I asked him last night. I don't want to see him like that again."

Blaine looked down as he talked, so he couldn't see his friends' curious gaze.

"We will find him" Nick assured him.

"Thank you" Blaine smiled. "Now if you excuse me, I have to get ready for the day."

Blaine walked out of the kitchen. Once the door was closed behind him, Nick turned to Jeff.

"Okay, what was that about?" he asked.

"You want to hear what I think or what Blaine told me?" Jeff asked.

"The truth" Nick said.

"Blaine's in love with Kurt" Jeff said. Nick burst out in laughter.

"Wait, what?" Nick asked when Jeff didn't laugh with him. "You can't be serious. I mean... Blaine was never in love with anyone."

"I guess his time has come" Jeff said, hoping that Blaine would admit his feelings to Kurt and most importantly, to himself.

~ o ~

Danny was completely lost in his thoughts since morning. It had all started with a nightmare. He had dreamt about a large man whose face he couldn't see, he had broken into their house and hurt Kurt. Danny had called for help but nobody had come. When he had woken up from that nightmare, shaking and crying, he had heard footsteps coming from Kurt's room. He had been so relieved, he had gotten out of bed and rushed to his door but to his surprise, he had seen Blaine coming out from the room. It had been so strange but it had gotten worse.

Maybe an hour later, Danny had gotten dressed and walked down into the kitchen but he had stopped at the door when he had heard Blaine and Jeff talking. He hadn't heard most of the conversation but one word was clear in Jeff's sentence. Boyfriend. And by boyfriend, he had meant Kurt. Danny couldn't hear more, he had run back to his room and shut the door behind him.

Since that moment, he couldn't focus on anything but Kurt and Blaine. Just the possibility of Kurt having a boyfriend made him want to cry. He remembered the last one, of course. He had been younger that time but it still didn't mean he could forget that man who had made both his and Kurt's life a living hell. He might have been a small child but his memories of Sebastian hurting Kurt were still vivid. He didn't want Kurt to have somebody like Sebastian in his life again. It had been torturous for both of them, how could Kurt not remember?

"What's wrong?"

Danny looked up and smiled when he saw Mandy standing beside him. For a second, he got nervous but his problems were too serious this time to think about Mandy. He looked around carefully. Most of the times David or Jeff accompanied him at school but they stayed behind after the first day. Danny's classmates had noticed the bodyguards and started making fun of him. After the second day, Danny had asked them to be as invisible as they could be, so they wouldn't ruin his days at school. Apparently, it had worked, he had some space and the others had left him alone a few days later. Now he was with David who was standing just outside of the room, far enough to not hear them.

"Kurt has a boyfriend" he explained simply. Mandy was the only one who knew about his real relationship to Kurt. When he had been younger, he hadn't kept it secret that Kurt wasn't his real father but kids were cruel and Danny had to learn it from first hand. When they had moved into their new house and Danny had started new school, he hadn't told anyone about Kurt but Mandy and his teacher, the two people he trusted.

"Oh" Mandy said in confusion. Since she had both of her parents, she wasn't an expert of the topic but tried to help her friend. "It's a good thing, right?"

Danny looked at David again and leant closer to Mandy.

"I'm scared. I don't want him to have a boyfriend" he said. "Sebastian hurt him. What if Blaine will, too?"

"If you don't want Blaine to be there, why don't you ask Kurt to send him away?" Mandy asked.

"I don't think he would" Danny sighed.

"Then you have to do something, so Blaine leaves Kurt" Mandy said.

Danny looked down and started thinking. It could work. He had to make Blaine uncomfortable, so he would leave and they wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.

"What should I do?" he asked.

Mandy smiled excitedly.

"I saw a movie with Dad last weekend..." she said and leaned to Danny's ear to tell him the details. As Mandy told him about the movie, both of their smiles grew wider. Mandy thought that some mischief wouldn't hurt anybody and the others would have a great time. Danny, on the other hand, thought that he would save Kurt from another horrible man.

~ o ~

Blaine smiled in his sleep when he felt gentle fingers caress his skin. He had a beautiful dream, he was lying on the grass with Kurt by his side and the man kept whispering sweet nothings into his ear. It was perfect. Slowly, the dream faded away but the gentle fingers stayed. It made Blaine confused. He was sure that he had fallen asleep in his own bed, without Kurt, so how was it possible that the man ended up beside him?

The fingers moved up to his chest and he decided not to pay too much attention. He enjoyed the gentle touch, he would deal with the consequences later.

"Hm, Kurt" he whispered and reached out to touch Kurt's hand but the fingers he found were thin and hairy. It was weird. Kurt's hand was so not like this. 

Blaine opened his eyes and looked straight into two little black eyes right in front of his own. Then a 'finger' came into his view. He was right about it, it was covered in short dark hair but it didn't make him feel him any better. Because the creature standing on his chest had seven more. 

Once Blaine's head cleared enough to realise he shared his bed with a spider, a large, threatening looking one, he did what most people would do: screamed and hit the spider hard enough to make it fly through the room. He didn't hesitate for a second, he jumped out from the bed and grabbed a book from the nightstand. He had to find that spider and kill it before it could hurt him or anybody else in the house.

He took a step away from his bed when the door swang open and Kurt appeared on the other side of it. He had heard Blaine's scream but he was afraid of stepping inside because he expected Blaine fighting against his stalker in the room. But as he looked inside, he only see Blaine with a book in his hands, wearing almost nothing. He blushed and looked away.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked.

Blaine reached out and pulled Kurt behind him to defend him from the large spider if necessary.

"There's a spider in the room" he explained while keeping his eyes on the room. "Stay behind me, I'm gonna take care of it. Oh, there it is."

Blaine made a movement to end the spider's life but Kurt reached out from behind him and grabbed his arm.

"Kurt, what are you doing?" he asked.

"If you kill it, I will fire you" Kurt said and stepped closer to the animal.

"What are you doing?" Blaine asked.

"This is Cat" Kurt explained and grimanced as he took another step towards the scared spider, much to Blaine's protest.

"Well, I wasn't good in biology but I most certainly think that it's a spider" Blaine said and grabbed Kurt's hand to pull him back.

"And I might be just an empty-headed actor but I still recognize my son's pet" Kurt said and went back to the spider. Blaine could tell from his disgusted look that he enjoyed the spider's company as much as Blaine.

"You bought your son a spider? What the hell, Kurt? Do you know how dangerous these animals can be? What if it bites someone?" Blaine asked in disbelief.

"First of all, it's not dangerous. Believe me, I made my research before we brought it home. And it's really not your business, but Danny wanted a pet, so I bought him one. What is the problem with it?" Kurt asked. Cat didn't seem like it wanted to attack them anymore, so Kurt knelt down in front of the spider and put it into his hands.

"A spider is not a pet! A-a dog or a cat is! Why do you call it 'Cat'?" Blaine asked when his brain was finally able to process the informations Kurt had given him in the past few minutes.

"Because I wanted to get him a cat but when he saw the spiders, he wanted one" Kurt explained. "We still didn't know how to name it, I don't even know its gender. So we chose a neutral name."

Blaine dig his nails into his wrist and waited to wake up. There was no chance that it was real, that he was attacked by Danny's pet that was a big, scary and disgusting spider by the way, and Kurt was still so... so calm. It had to a nightmare and he wanted to finally wake up from it.

"You're awake" Kurt informed him when he heard Blaine muttering about nightmares.

"But-but how did it end up in my bed?" Blaine asked, finally out of shock.

"Danny must have forgotten to close his door. It's not a big deal, I found it in my wardrobe once. I told you, it's completely harmless" Kurt said.

"Okay, this is crazy" Blaine said in frustration. 

"I'm gonna go and talk to Danny" Kurt said patiently. "Just calm down, please. It was just an accident, it won't happen again."

As Kurt stepped out of the room with Cat in his hands, a whole crowd of the Warblers and Danny were waiting in the living room.

"Is everything alright?" Wes asked.

"Yes. This little one decided to take a tour during the night and it ended up in Blaine's bed" Kurt said, showing the spider in his hands. Then he walked to Danny and gave him his pet. 

"Oh, I was so afraid that I lost him!" Danny said as he took Cat from Kurt. He believed that the spider was a male, even if they didn't know for sure.

"Next time take better care of Cat. He scared Blaine" Kurt said.

"I will" Danny said.

The Warblers tried to hide their smiles but it was hard, especially when Blaine joined them in the living room. Jeff had to turn away because his whole body was shaking with laughter and he wasn't the only one who couldn't hide his amusement. Blaine shot an angry glare towards the Warblers and was ready to say something when his eyes met Danny's. The boy was smiling as well but his eyes told Blaine that he knew very well how Cat had ended up in Blaine's bed and it made Blaine confused. He hoped that it was just a prank that wouln't happen again, that the boy wanted to make fun of him like he had done to Jeff earlier. Little did Blaine know that it was just the first act of a bigger plan and Danny wanted him to leave their home as soon as possible.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. Enjoy!

After the spider incident, Blaine was gruff the whole day. He got ready without saying a word and acted like he didn't hear the Warblers' snickers. He was glad when he and Kurt finally stepped out of the house. The ride to the theater was silent, Kurt felt bad for the morning and Blaine wasn't in the mood to have a conversation with him. He just wanted to get over the day without trouble.

The morning passed uneventfully, Kurt was on the stage and Blaine stayed behind the curtain to watch over him. In their lunch break they went out to grab some food but they still barely talked to each other. Blaine didn't mind, though. He knew that the Warblers would make fun of him the second they got home, so he enjoyed the silence as long as he could.

When they got back and Kurt excused himself to go to the bathroom, Blaine stayed outside to watch people. The corridor was almost empty, so it wasn't hard to notice the person on the other side of it. It was a blond man and he was kneeling in front of Kurt's dressing room, trying to open the door. Blaine recognized the man from the first sight, it was Chandler Kiehl, the man who had followed Kurt around the theater several times. And the man who had been stalking another man at his former workplace.

Blaine pushed himself away from the wall and made his way towards Chandler as quietly as he could. Once he was right behind him, he grabbed Chandler's arms, twisted them behind his back and pushed him against the wall.

"What are you doing here?" Blaine asked.

The man in front of him was shaking with fear. Good.

"I-I..." Chandler couldn't form a proper answer.

"You're a freaking stalker, huh? What do you want from Kurt?" Blaine asked in anger. He looked down and saw an envelop peaking out of Chandler's pocket. He let go of Chandler's arms and grabbed the envelop to read its content.

"No!" Chandler said but Blaine pushed him back to the wall.

He opened the envelop and went through to letter he found inside. 

"I-I wrote him a poem" Chandler explained.

Blaine went through the words. They seemed familiar from somewhere.

"This isn't your poem" Blaine said.

"Of course it is!" Chandler replied. 

"It's a a sonnet of Shakespeare" Blaine said, finally recognizing the words.

"Okay, I might have borrowed a few lines..." Chandler said awkwardly.

Blaine tore the letter into pieces and pushed it back into Chandler's hands.

"You better don't go near him again, got it?" he asked, trying to seem as dangerous as possible.

Chandler nodded immediately and once Blaine stepped away from him, he practically ran towards the exit.

"What's going on here?" Kurt asked as he walked down the corridor. He had seen Chandler running away but hadn't heard a word from the conversation.

"I'm doing my job" Blaine explained.

Kurt looked around nervously. Did it mean that Kurt's stalker was here? Was it Chandler who had left those threatening letters? Or somebody else from the theater?

"It's fine" Blaine said when he saw how nervous Kurt seemed. "I'm here to keep you safe, remember? Let's go back to the stage, your break is almost over."

Kurt nodded and with Blaine following him closely, he got back to work.

~ o ~

Kurt knew that something wasn't right with Blaine. He was quiet and snapped at everybody who tried to talk to him. It was obviously because of the spider incident, Blaine must have felt ashamed because of his reaction and he wanted to show him that it was fine, that he trusted him completely. He hoped that he could make it better and Blaine would turn back into his usual mood. Kurt missed their conversations and hated how gruff Blaine was, so he decided to make him breakfast and coffee he next morning. 

He and Danny were in the kitchen, the boy was standing right beside him as Kurt prepared Blaine's coffee. He was humming happily and Danny watched him with curious eyes.

"Why do you need two mugs?" Danny asked.

"Oh, this one is for Blaine" Kurt explained and pointed at the mug in front of Danny. He checked the time on his phone and rushed to the fridge to make the food ready. Blaine should be awake in any minute.

Danny looked at the mug and when he saw the bottle standing beside it, a new plan formed in his mind. Somebody had forgotten the hot sauce on the counter, it was open and close enough for him to reach it. Perfect. When Danny was sure that Kurt wasn't looking, he grabbed the hot sauce from the counter and poured a bigger portion of it into Blaine's coffee. He was quick and quiet, so when Kurt turned back towards him, Danny was standing on his previous place, smiling innocently.

"Do you want some eggs?" Kurt asked.

Danny almost sighed in relief. Luckily, Kurt didn't see him. He would have been in trouble if Kurt had known about his secret actions.

"Yes" Danny smiled and sat down, waiting for his food and Blaine to arrive. 

A few minutes later, a sleepy looking Blaine stepped inside. Kurt had asked Jeff earlier to let Blaine know what was waiting for him in the kitchen, so he would come alone. Kurt checked his hair and clothes, took a deep breath and turned around to face Blaine. He wanted to make the man's morning perfect, so he would be happy during the day.

"Good morning" Kurt said.

"Good morning" Blaine smiled. He didn't miss how amazing Kurt looked in his tight pants and black shirt. It made Blaine's mouth water but it wasn't his body's only reaction. Let's say he was glad that he had chosen his baggy pants for the morning.

"Are you hungry?" Kurt asked. "Uhm... I made you coffee and breakfast will be ready in a minute."

"So that's why you asked Jeff to send me here?" Blaine winked.

Kurt blushed and looked down. Okay, maybe his plan was a little too obvious but since he hadn't had any real relationships in the past years, he had forgotten how to hide his feelings. Thinking about relationships or better a possible relationship with Blaine, he turned scarlet and forgot what he should say next.

"You said something about coffee" Blaine helped him.

"Yeah, yeah, coffee. Uhm, it's not as perfect as your vanilla latte was but hopefully it's not too bad" Kurt said and placed the mug in front of Blaine. He didn't go back to preparing food, he wanted to see Blaine's reaction.

Blaine was so lost in Kurt's eyes that he didn't see the way Danny was looking at him. The boy was frozen in place and held his fork so tight that his hand was shaking. Blaine held the mug to his lips, took a sip from the drink – and spat it back immediately, coughing. Danny smiled viciously and had to press his lips together not to laugh.

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked in concern when he saw Blaine's reaction.

"It's..." Blaine looked at Danny and it took him only a second to realise what was going on. "It's hot! But it's amazing, Kurt. Thank you."

Kurt smiled at him and turned away to finish their breakfast. When he was gone, Blaine looked at Danny who now had a grim expression on his face. He certainly didn't expect this reaction. Blaine smiled at him and raised his mug, pretending to drink from the coffee again. He had far too much experience to let a little boy like Danny outsmart him.

~ o ~

A few days later, Blaine was sitting in the kitchen, drinking a coffee he had made and never left for a second, so Danny couldn't repeat the scene from earlier. He had no idea why the boy had done that to him. He had known the first time when he had found the spider in his bed that Cat hadn't ended up accidentally in his room and after the coffee the other morning, it had become clear that Danny wanted to make his life a living hell.

He had no idea why, though. They had seemed to be fine, Danny had been happy around him and Blaine didn't remember anything that could have changed the boy. He looked down at his coffee and grimanced. Just thinking about the disgusting spicy liquid he had drunk days earlier made him feel sick. It was clearly the worst thing he had ever tasted in his life.

"Isn't it too late for that?"

Blaine sighed and looked up to see Jeff enter the kitchen.

"Nick still hasn't found anything about Sebastian. I want to make another research tonight" Blaine explained.

"You should rest" Jeff said.

"Later" Blaine replied. "My head is full, I'm not sure I will be able to sleep anytime soon."

"Why is it so? Have you found something in the theater?" Jeff asked in concern.

"No. I mean, not really. Chandler Kiehl isn't our man, that's sure" Blaine said. "What concerns me is... Danny."

Jeff raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but smiled at the mention of the boy.

"Are you still angry because of that spider? It was just an accident" Jeff said.

"It wasn't" Blaine replied.

"What do you mean?" Jeff frowned.

"He put hot sauce into my coffee the other day" Blaine answered.

Jeff threw his head back and laughed. He only stopped when he realised Blaine wasn't laughing with him.

"Wait. Are you serious?" he asked.

"Why would I come up with such a joke?" Blaine asked. "Yeah, I'm sure. Kurt made me a coffee and when I drank it... it was awful."

"Okay, I don't understand. Kurt and Danny want to poison you?" Jeff asked in confusion.

"No, it's just Danny" Blaine sighed. "Kurt... Kurt's sweet. But something must have happened to Danny because he turned completely against me."

"Are you sure he did it on purpose?" Jeff asked.

"I am. You should have seen his face. It's like it makes him happy if he sees me suffering" Blaine said.

"The boy's clearly a genius" Jeff nodded. "If he could do it all behind Kurt's back, he must be ever better than me."

"Well, he isn't helping at all" Blaine groaned. "I have to focus on my job to keep them safe. I can't do it if he keeps up with his little tricks."

"We should find out what could have caused his change" Jeff suggested. "Had something happened to him before it started?"

Blaine looked down thoughtfully. Something must have happened... Oh, right.

"I went out with Kurt" Blaine said.

"Do you think he saw you that night?" Jeff asked.

"What else could it be?" Blaine asked back.

"It makes sense..." Jeff muttered. "He must have seen you and now he thinks that you want to take his father away from him."

"This is insane! There's nothing between me and Kurt" Blaine said.

Jeff raised an eyebrow.

"That's not true and you know it" he said. "You like him, he likes you and it's obvious, even for Danny."

Blaine smiled sadly. Maybe he wasn't that good in hiding his feelings. Jeff knew him, so it wasn't surprising that he noticed what was going on but he didn't expect the same from Danny.

"What should I do?" he asked.

"Give him some time" Jeff said. "You told us about that Sebastian guy. Danny must think that you would hurt them as well."

"But I'm not like that!" Blaine said.

"I know" Jeff nodded. "But Danny has no other experience. He doesn't know how real relationships work."

"Shouldn't I talk to him? Or Kurt?" Blaine asked.

"Give him some time first. Children need more time to process things" Jeff shrugged, remembering when he had been in such a situation.

"I will try" Blaine nodded.

~ o ~

Blaine promised that he would try to be more patient and he really tried... but it seemed like Danny's operation didn't give him a peaceful moment. He was careful but the boy still managed to surprise him somehow. One day, when he took a shower after a long day spent in the theater, he dressed in his favourite pants and shirt and went into the living room to talk to the other Warblers. It was the end of the week, he wanted to hear their reports. He knew that something was up once he walked into the room and David who was behind him started laughing. Blaine gritted his teeth and turned around to face the man.

"Alright. What's it this time?" he asked.

"Uhm... Blaine, had you checked your pants before you put them on?" Nick asked carefully.

Blaine frowned and walked to the nearest mirror. He couldn't see anything on the front but as he turned around, his eyes widened. There was a large, dark patch on his pants, right under his ass and it looked exactly like he had had an accident and couldn't make it to the toilet in time. He pressed his lips together in anger and needed all of his willpower not to punch anything.

"Danny" he hissed.

"Blaine, calm down. He is just a kid, remember?" Jeff said.

"No! I won't do this any longer" Blaine decided and rushed upstairs.

"What the hell is going on here?" Wes frowned.

Jeff just shook his head and followed Blaine upstairs to make sure he didn't do anything stupid.

Blaine walked to the music room's door when he heard Kurt play the piano and walked inside without knocking. Kurt stopped playing once he saw how upset Blaine looked and stood up.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Yes! Your kid is wrong!" Blaine answered.

"I don't understand. What's the problem with Danny?" Kurt asked.

"This!" Blaine said and turned around to show Kurt his pants. The man frowned, still not knowing what was going on.

"You mean Danny did this?" Kurt asked.

"Yes! And left a spider in my bed and almost poisoned me with the coffee you made me!" Blaine said. 

"You said that it was hot!" Kurt gasped.

"Yes, it was literally hot - because your son put hot sauce into it!" Blaine said angrily.

Kurt thought about Blaine's words. True, Danny had had a few pranks in the past but he had never hurt anyone. 

"I'm sure it was just an accident" Kurt said in the end.

If Blaine hadn't been so angry, they could have had a normal conversation. But he was angry as hell and couldn't think straight.

"So you're defending him" Blaine nodded. "That's fine, he is your son after all. But you should open your eyes and see what's really going on."

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked.

"You work so much that you don't have time to raise your own son" Blaine said. "You don't want him to hate you completely, so you allow him everything but it doesn't help at all. He thinks that the whole world is his and-and he's disrespectful to everyone! He doesn't even call you 'dad' for God's sake!"

Oh, no. Once the words left his lips, Blaine knew that he was fired. Hell, the whole team was fired. He had never seen Kurt so angry before. His cheeks were red and if he had been able to kill with one look, Blaine would have been dead for sure. When he opened his mouth to talk, Blaine expected him to scream but Kurt's voice was surprisingly calm and quiet.

"I need to practice. Would you leave me alone?" he asked.

"Kurt, I'm so sorry, I..."

"Blaine, go. Now" Kurt interrupted.

Blaine nodded and hastily left the room. They weren't fired after all but he didn't want to give Kurt the chance to think about the possibility. He stepped outside, shut the door and went to the other wall to slam his head into it.

"You better don't give advice how to raise his son when you like someone" Jeff said from behind him.

"Did you hear it?" Blaine asked.

"You screamed like a banshee, everybody heard it" Jeff sighed.

"I didn't want to say those things. I was angry and... I wasn't thinking straight" Blaine admitted.

"It's too late to take it back" Jeff nodded. "But if you're lucky, Danny will leave you alone after this."

Blaine turned back to the wall and hit his head into it again. He had a bad week, that was sure.

~ o ~

It was late and the house was quiet. Danny sneaked out of his room and went downstairs as quietly as he could. He had talked to Mandy again and the girl had given him a few other ideas from the movies she had seen with her father. Mandy must have seen a lot of movies because she had dozens of ideas. He didn't have to use all of them if he was correct, Blaine had seemed really angry after finding his pants, so this could be the last one if he was lucky. 

Danny sneaked into the kitchen and shut the door. He knew that at least one of the Warblers was awake and could see him, so he had to be quick. Kurt couldn't find out what was going on. He would be upset but Danny wanted him to be happy. He was doing this for him after all.

He found Blaine's chair and opened the tube of glue he was holding. Following Mandy's instructions, he held the tube over the chair and was about to squeeze it, but a sudden voice behind him made him stop.

"It won't work, you know."

Danny shrieked and dropped the glue. He was so scared that he didn't recognize the voice, he was afraid that he was caught by Kurt's stalker. He backed away from the man in the dark, shaking and with tears in his eyes. He should have stayed in his room where he was safe...

He heard a soft click and the lights in the room went on, and he sighed in relief when he saw that the man standing beside him was Jeff.

"Hello, Danny" Jeff smiled. "What are you doing down here so late?"

"I... I..." Danny stuttered.

"If you do the glue-trick now, it will be useless tomorrow morning" Jeff explained. "It needs only a few hours to dry completely."

Danny looked away. He was caught and he knew that Jeff would tell Kurt. Kurt would be upset and hate him for doing this to Blaine. Danny's eyes widened. What if Kurt would decide to find him other parents and get rid of him? 

"Please, don't tell Kurt" Danny begged.

"I won't" Jeff said and Danny released the breath he was holding. "But you will."

"I-I can't!" Danny said. "Kurt can't find out! He-he will hate me!"

Jeff shook his head and crouched down beside the boy.

"It will be fine. Kurt loves you, you have nothing to worry about" Jeff said.

"I don't want to lose him too" Danny cried. He was sure that Kurt wouldn't want him anymore if he found out what Danny had done.

"You won't lose him. Just tell him why you did it" Jeff said.

"I didn't want to hurt Blaine" Danny said. "I just... Sebastian hurt Kurt and we ran away and I don't want him to have another boyfriend and run again."

"They aren't together" Jeff said. Where did Danny's idea come from?

"I heard you talk" Danny said. "You and Blaine. You said that Kurt was his boyfriend."

Jeff needed a whole minute to remember the conversation he and Blaine had had a week ago.

"Oh, that!" he laughed. "It was just a joke."

"What?" Danny frowned.

"I like teasing Blaine, that's all" Jeff shrugged.

"But Kurt likes him" Danny muttered. "And Blaine slept in his room. I saw him."

"Look, I won't lie to you. Blaine and Kurt like each other but there's nothing going on between them. Believe me, if they were together, Kurt would have told you" Jeff said.

"How do you know?" Danny asked.

Jeff sighed and sat down beside Danny.

"When I was younger, my mother had a boyfriend. He was like Sebastian for your father. I hated him because he hurt me and it took my mother years to realise that" Jeff explained. "When she found another boyfriend, I was scared like you are now. I was afraid that that man would hurt me as well."

"Why did the first man hurt you?" Danny asked.

"Because..." Jeff took a deep breath. It was still hard to talk about those years. "I like men and my mother's boyfriend couldn't accept that."

"I don't understand. Kurt likes men too" Danny frowned.

"Some people can't accept us" Jeff explained. "But let's not talk about it. The point is, my mother found another boyfriend and I was afraid of him at first. Mom told me not to be scared of him because he wasn't like the other one. I didn't believe her, though."

"Did he hurt you?" Danny asked.

"No" Jeff smiled. "He was a pretty good man. He was like a father to me."

"What happened to him?" Danny asked.

"He died a few years ago" Jeff said quietly. 

"I'm sorry. My parents died too" Danny said.

"Excuse me?" Jeff asked as he looked up.

"My parents died when I was a baby. It was an accident" Danny said.

Jeff's eyes widened. He hadn't known that Kurt wasn't Danny's biological father but it explained a lot. His fear of losing Kurt, for example.

"How should I tell Kurt the truth?" Danny asked, changing subject.

"Don't think too much. Just say it" Jeff said. "He will understand."

Danny nodded and stood up. Kurt was surely asleep but he had to tell him as soon as possible.

"Oh, one more thing" Jeff said before Danny could leave. "Blaine's a good guy. Give him a chance."

Danny smiled weakly and nodded. Maybe Jeff was right and he shouldn't be afraid of Blaine.

~ o ~

Danny didn't have any sleep that night. He was so afraid of Kurt's reaction that he couldn't even close his eyes for a few minutes. He went through what he wanted to tell Kurt several times and waited for the man to wake up. When Kurt got out of his room, Danny took a deep breath and joined him downstairs. Kurt was in the kitchen, preparing his coffee and breakfast for all of them. When he saw Danny, he smiled at him.

"Good morning, honey. Slept well?" he asked.

Danny couldn't hold it back anymore. He started crying and told Kurt everything, how he had sneaked into Blaine's room and put Cat into his bed, what he had done to his coffee, his clothes and what he had been planning to do when Jeff had stopped him.

"I know that you hate me now but I'm sorry. I swear I won't do it again, just please, don't kick me out!" Danny cried.

Kurt was stunned. He didn't know what surprised him more, the fact that Blaine was right about Danny or the boy being so afraid of losing him. He loved Danny more than anybody, he had proved it several times but it looked like the boy felt still insecure. He took a deep breath and knelt down to hug Danny.

"Listen to me. What you did was wrong but I'm not angry" he said. "And there's nothing you can do that would make me give up on you. We're a family, Danny."

"But Blaine hates me" Danny muttered.

"He might be a little pissed off but you can't blame him. You made his week pretty tough" Kurt smiled.

"I just want you to be safe" Danny said.

"There's nothing between me and Blaine, you don't have to be afraid of him" Kurt said.

"But you like him" Danny said.

Kurt smiled. It always surprised him how clever Danny was.

"I do" he nodded. "But even if I want us to be more than friends, nothing will happen until he's working for us."

"And then?" Danny asked carefully.

Kurt looked down. It was time to tell Danny the truth.

"I would like to try it with him" he said. "If he wants it as well. And if you agree."

"What if I say no?" Danny asked but regretted it immediately when he saw how sad Kurt became. "I won't!" he added hastily.

Kurt smiled at him.

"Thank you" he said.

"We should... we should ask him to go out with us to have pancakes again" Danny said. He had promised Jeff that he would give Blaine a chance.

"Nice thought, honey, but I have to talk to him first" Kurt said. "I think he is still hurt because of your pranks."

"I'm sorry" Danny muttered.

"I know" Kurt sighed and stood up. "I'm gonna tell him but there is something else I need to talk to him about."

"What is it?" Danny asked.

"He needs to know the truth about us" Kurt answered.

Danny nodded in understanding.

~ o ~

"He doesn't call me 'dad' because I'm not his father."

Blaine's fingers stopped over the keyboard when he heard Kurt's voice from behind him. He had come up here to have some alone time and think. He hadn't even noticed Kurt joining him.

"Excuse me?" Blaine asked and turned around.

Kurt went to the piano, sat down beside Blaine and started playing. He didn't say a word for a few minutes, he still tried to figure out the best way to tell Blaine his and Danny's story.

"I'm not his father. I raise him because his parents died and it was their wish" Kurt said finally.

Blaine didn't know what to say. It had been strange that Danny used Kurt's first name instead of calling him father or something like that but he had had no idea that Danny was an orphan. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked quietly.

"It's a long story" Kurt sighed.

Blaine nodded and stood up. 'Long story' always meant that Kurt didn't want to talk about the topic and he had every right to do so. Blaine was just his bodyguard, Kurt didn't have to tell him his story. He was about to leave the room when Kurt spoke up again.

"You should take a seat. It's really a long and complicated story."

Blaine smiled and sat down onto the floor. Kurt hesitated for a second but then joined him in front of the piano. He took a few deep breath, preparing himself to tell Blaine everything. Only a few people knew the true story of him and Danny and he had never told anyone else about this. It was still too painful. He only talked about Danny's parents when the boy asked him about them.

"It started seven years ago..."

Kurt closed his eyes and let his mind bring him back to where it had started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are two flashback chapters after this one. I will try to update them at the same time, so you can read them at once.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I made one longer of the two flashback chapters, so you can read the whole thing at once. I hope it makes everything clear.  
> I used a few lines from Life as We Know It, the idea of the video came from Raise Your Voice and Glee.   
> I also made a research when I wrote this chapter but I'm not familiar with American law, some things might not make sense. I still hope you like it.   
> Enjoy!

 

_7 years earlier_

 

Nothing was the same. Kurt walked down the familiar corridors, hoping to recall his best memories from high school but it was so different this time.

 

_'You know, it used to be that just straight ex-football players would lurk the halls of high schools after graduation, but you've proven that gay ex-show choir champs can also be depressive sad sacks desperately clinging to the past.'_

 

Kurt stopped in front of his locker. Okay, it wasn't his locker anymore, it was somebody else's now. He didn't belong here anymore. He shouldn't have come back to Lima anymore. He should have stayed in New York and made his dreams come true.

 

_'You can always come back.'_

 

Kurt sighed and looked around sadly. Even his father had seemed disappointed when he had found Kurt at the front door the other day. He had screwed up everything and there was no chance to come back from the depth of the hole he was in.

 

How had he ended up here? He had had everything he wanted. He had been in New York, he had prepared himself to get into NYADA, it was supposed to be the last station of his life. Oh, right. Life. The cruel little game he had played for more than 18 years.

 

Kurt walked to the office to finally see a familiar face. Mckinley had changed so much but there was still somebody who hopefully would help him get his life back from the million broken pieces.

 

"Kurt?"

 

Kurt forced himself to smile and stepped inside.

 

"Hey, Mr Schue" he said quietly.

 

"It's good to see you again" Mr Schue said and stood up to give him a hug. "How are you?"

 

His eyes started burning and he turned away, blinking hard. He wanted to say that he was fine but he was far from that.

 

"It's still hard" Kurt replied.

 

Mr Schue smiled sadly.

 

"Have you been at the cemetery?" Mr Schue asked.

 

Kurt shook his head. He wasn't ready for that.

 

"I understand" Mr Schue said.

 

"I'm staying in Lima for a while" Kurt said while he made sure not to look into Mr Schue's eyes. He couldn't bear to see more disappointment. He knew very well what he had done wrong. "I... I just... I need some time."

 

"That's completely understandable" Mr Schue said.

 

"No, it's not" Kurt replied. "I went through hell several times in my life but I never gave up. When my mother died... when my father had a heart attack, I was devastated but I didn't give up. I knew that I had to move on, that there was my whole life waiting for me but I don't feel the same this time."

 

"Only one thing is sure in life, Kurt, and it's death. But when people die so young, it's hard to accept it, especially if you lose a family member" Mr Schue said.

 

"He was my brother" Kurt nodded. "Even if we weren't connected by blood."

 

"I know" Mr Schue said. "Give yourself time. Rest, think about your possibilities. And if you want to talk to someone, you can find me here."

 

Kurt nodded again. He wasn't ready to talk but it was good to know that he wasn't alone.

 

~ o ~

 

"What the hell have you done to this car?"

 

Mr Schue watched Burt Hummel go through his beloved, although quite old car. He knew that he should have bought a new one but... but it was his first car. He loved it like a family member.

 

"Can you repair it?" Mr Schue asked.

 

"Hey, Dad" Kurt walked into the shop with a paper bag in his hands. "Hey, Mr Schue."

 

"Hey, Kurt" Mr Schue greeted him.

 

Kurt put the paper bag down and walked closer to them.

 

"You forgot your breakfast. Again" he told his father.

 

"I was in hurry but I knew you would notice it" Burt smiled.

 

"You have to take care of yourself, Dad" Kurt sighed. "You had a heart attack-"

 

"Three years ago" Burt pointed out.

 

Kurt sighed and shook his head.

 

"Can I help you with something?" he asked.

 

"Yeah. There's some paperwork waiting for you" Burt answered.

 

"Got it" Kurt said and turned to leave.

 

When he was gone, Mr Schue looked at Burt.

 

"Is he alright?" he asked.

 

"No" Burt answered. "He came back almost a month ago and he doesn't want to leave."

 

"He needs time" Mr Schue said.

 

"I know, but it's not good for him" Burt replied. "He spends most of his time here with me but doesn't talk. Damn, he doesn't even care that his clothes get dirty. Something is wrong with him and I don't know how to help him."

 

"He misses Finn" Mr Schue said.

 

"We all do" Burt nodded. "But my kid is about to destroy his life as well and I can't let him. He needs to go back to his own life and enjoy it. He doesn't belong here, you know that."

 

"I know. But what should we do?" Mr Schue asked in concern.

 

"We have to lead him back to his dreams" Burt said quietly. "But I have no idea how to do it."

 

"I do" Mr Schue smiled. "Would you tell Kurt to join the next glee rehearsal?"

 

"What do you have in your mind?" Burt asked.

 

"Glee" Mr Schue said. Burt still didn't understand. "Just make sure he comes tomorrow. I will deal with the rest."

 

"I hope you know what you're doing" Burt said. "I would do anything to see my son smile again."

 

"Just repair my car, it will be enough" Mr Schue said.

 

~ o ~

 

The next day, Burt practically forced Kurt into his car and drove him to the school. Kurt didn't want to go, not at all. The idea of joining a group where he didn't know most of the kids seemed scary. He wasn't ready for that. He wanted to hide in his father's shop and do some paperwork or anything else that didn't mean he had to meet people.

 

"Schue is waiting for you inside" Burt explained when they arrived. "I will stay here and make sure you don't run away."

 

"This is insane! I don't need help" Kurt said.

 

"You do" Burt replied. "Go."

 

Kurt rolled his eyes and got out of the car. He knew that his dad wouldn't leave him alone unless he talked to Mr Schue. He couldn't understand why they just didn't let him be. He was fine with working in his father's shop. He didn't have to worry or even think about his future and he did some of the job Finn used to do. It was the best for everybody.

 

"Oh, Kurt, you're here" Mr Schue smiled when Kurt stepped into the choir room.

 

Some of the faces were familiar but there were a lot of new kids he had only met once or twice. He gulped and took a step forward. After Finn's death, something had broken inside of him and he was scared people other than his family. That was the reason he had to give up his dreams about NYADA and move back home.

 

"Guys, this is Kurt Hummel, one of my best students" Mr Schue said and grabbed Kurt's arm, pulling him closer to the group. "And the new co-director of the New Directions."

 

"What?" Tina asked from the first row.

 

"What?" Kurt asked at the same time.

 

"I will explain later" Mr Schue whispered into his ears.

 

"But..."

 

Mr Schue stepped away from him, so Kurt didn't have a chance to continue.

 

"You all have great voices but that won't be enough for Nationals. You need to use your emotions and put them into the songs you sing. You have to show that no matter how good dancers and singers the others are, you are better, because you have all of your hearts in what you do. We're gonna show you what I mean. Artie, Tina, please join us" Mr Schue said.

 

Kurt was frozen in place. He had no idea what Mr Schue wanted but it couldn't be good.

 

The familiar song started and Kurt felt like he was going to be sick. It was one of Finn's favourites, the one they had sung several times. The one that had made them a team.

 

Once Mr Schue started singing, Kurt turned around and ran out of the room. He didn't care what his dad would think, he wasn't ready for this.

 

"Kurt, wait!" Mr Schue called after him.

 

"I can't do this" Kurt said but continued his walk towards the parking lot. Maybe his father was still there. "I'm not ready."

 

"You are" Mr Schue disagreed.

 

"You have no idea what I'm going through!"

 

They reached the parking lot and Burt was still there. When he saw how upset his son was, he got out of the car and walked to them.

 

"What's going on?" he asked.

 

"Why do you want to change my life? I'm fine like this" Kurt said angrily.

 

"No, you aren't" Burt said. "We can't let you destroy yourself."

 

"I'm fine" Kurt said quietly.

 

"You couldn't be farther from fine" Burt sighed. "You gave up your dreams and came back home to work in a freaking car shop. You're not like this, Kurt."

 

"Maybe I am" Kurt said. "Maybe I'm not talented enough."

 

"That's not true" Mr Schue said.

 

"What happened to Finn is awful but our lives don't stop because he's gone" Burt said.

 

"What do you want from me?" Kurt asked.

 

"Help Schue with the glee club. Take as much time as you need to recover but then... I want you to apply to NYADA again" Burt said.

 

"Dad..."

 

"Kurt, I'm serious" Burt said. "I will kick you out of you don't accept Will's offer."

 

"You can't be serious!" Kurt gasped.

 

"I am" Burt said with much more confidence than he felt inside. "I won't assist you to destroy your life."

 

Kurt looked from his dad to Mr Schue. He was a few steps behind them and listened to the conversation quietly.

 

"I guess I don't have a choice" Kurt sighed.

 

"Meet me tomorrow in the choir room. We have to win Nationals" Mr Schue winked.

 

"Of course, Mr Schue" Kurt said.

 

"Call me Will" Mr Schue said. "We're colleagues now."

 

~ o ~

 

The months passed and Kurt started feeling better. The school year ended, New Directions won the next Nationals and the old glee club members graduated. Kurt was on the stage again, he practiced a lot in his free time and he came up with a lot of amazing ideas. But he still wasn't ready to move on.

 

He and Will became good friends. Will enjoyed that he had someone to practice with, he loved Kurt's ideas and they spent a lot of time in Will's house, talking about the future of the New Directions.

 

It was September again, a warm, sunny day when Kurt arrived at Will's house a little earlier than they had agreed. He knocked on the door but nobody came to open it. He heard soft sounds coming from the house and after a second of hesitation, he opened the door for himself. It was Emma, Will's wife and she was crying. Kurt had to check on her to see if she was fine.

 

He found Emma in the living room, she was sitting on the couch with a white stick in her hands.

 

"Emma?"

 

Emma looked up at him with wide eyes and tried to hide the stick she had in her hands.

 

"I'm sorry" Kurt said hastily. "I didn't want to scare you but I heard you cry and... are you alright?"

 

Emma shook her head and cried harder.

 

"I have a bad day, that's all" Emma said.

 

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked and sat down beside Emma.

 

She was silent for a minute and Kurt thought that she wouldn't tell him but then she took a deep breath and raised the stick in her hand. Kurt wasn't an expert of women but even he could see that it was a negative pregnancy test.

 

"Oh" he said in surprise.

 

"Will and I are trying to have a baby" Emma admitted. "It's the sixth month and still nothing."

 

"Don't be sad" Kurt said. "Maybe in the next month."

 

He had no idea how bad Emma might have felt. He was too young to even think about family and babies seemed like annoying little creatures for him that wouldn't stop crying and never slept.

 

"We aren't that young, you know?" Emma said. "We don't want the baby to be sick but if we can't manage to have one in the next few months, we will stop trying. Over 35, there's a bigger chance that the baby would have Down syndrome."

 

"What's wrong with Down syndrome?" Kurt frowned, thinking about Becky Jackson. Okay, maybe sometimes she was a little weird, but Kurt didn't see why it would be a problem.

 

"It's not just that. It's at least 18 years to raise a child, and I didn't count the college years, the first job. They will need time to save money for an own house, find a wife or a husband, and I want to be there when it happens" Emma explained. "The biggest problem is that we can't be together in time. Will's always so busy and we can't catch the-"

 

"Can I help somehow?" Kurt interrupted her. He so didn't want to know what his friends did to have a baby.

 

"Well, if you could make glee club for a few weeks alone..."

 

"Got it" Kurt smiled. "Don't worry, it will be fine."

 

Luckily, Will arrived at this point, so Kurt was saved from the rest of the conversation.

 

~ o ~

 

A little over a month later, Will shared the news with Kurt: Emma was pregnant. Between getting ready for the competitions, Kurt helped them a lot with the nursery and baby clothes. It was good to have something new to keep him busy, so Kurt didn't have to think about his own non-existing future. Even if he was still far from fine, his friends were happy.

 

After a difficult pregnancy, Emma gave birth two months earlier than expected. Daniel Finn Schuester was born in the end of April, on a cold, rainy day. It was May when he was finally able to leave the hospital and when the family got home, Kurt was invited to see the little boy.

 

"He's so beautiful" Kurt gasped when – after washing his hands twice – Emma handed him the baby boy.

 

Danny was so tiny, Kurt was afraid that he would break him. His hands were shaking slightly but Will sat down beside him and showed Kurt how to hold the baby in his arms. Danny was asleep and he looked like a little angel. He had fair skin like Emma and the curls of Will. He was a perfect little boy. When he woke up and looked up at Kurt, he could see his large brown eyes.

 

"He's so beautiful" Kurt said again.

 

"Perfect, right?" Will asked proudly.

 

"Well, he could sleep more but everything else is perfect" Emma said from her armchair. It had been almost two weeks since Danny's birth but she looked still sick and tired.

 

"Danny, this is Kurt" Will explained his newborn child.

 

"Your fairy godfather" Kurt smiled. "If they don't let you have something, tell me. I will spoil you."

 

Danny seemed to like the idea. He reached out towards Kurt's face and tried to touch him but he didn't succeed. His motions were still uncoordinated.

 

"Here" Kurt said and let Danny grab his finger. "Okay, I totally love him. If you need a babysitter, just call me. Even in the middle of the night. I can't wait to spend a lot of time with this little guy."

 

"Believe me, once you hear him cry, you will take it back" Emma said, making the others laugh.

 

Kurt looked down at the baby again. He couldn't imagine a situation where he would say 'no' to the opportunity to have this little boy in his arms.

 

~ o ~

 

New Directions won the next Sectionals and Regionals as well, and to celebrate their success, Will threw a party for the glee club members in his house. His whole family was there, including Danny who was almost ten months old then, beautiful, clever and healthy. The only sign that he was a premature baby was his size. He could crawl rapidly and most of the times he was able to sit without help. And he was always happy.

 

"Hey" Kurt greeted Will when he opened the door for him. Kurt stepped inside and went straight to Danny. "Oh, my favourite little boy is here."

 

He wanted to hold the baby but Emma stepped between them.

 

"I'm gonna wash my hands first" Kurt said hastily and went to wash his hands. When he came back and Emma checked if his hands were clean, he kneeled down beside Danny and pulled him into a hug. "You're such a big boy now. Just a few months and you will dance with us on the stage."

 

"I hope so" Will said as he joined them. "He doesn't want to stand, so I don't know when it will happen."

 

"Patience" Kurt said. "You know how hard it was for him."

 

"Yeah. Thank God he's healthy. We could have had worse" Will sighed.

 

"Will, would you help me, please?" Emma called out from the kitchen.

 

"Coming" Will said and went to help his wife.

 

Kurt was left alone with Danny but he didn't mind. Since the boy had been able to play and move, Kurt really enjoyed spending his time with the baby. Danny was an amazing little boy and always made Kurt smile.

 

The evening passed quickly and the other guests left. Kurt stayed to help Will clean up the kitchen while Emma brought Danny back into the nursery.

 

"So the winter is almost over" Will said conversationally.

 

"Yeah" Kurt nodded. He had no idea what Will wanted with this.

 

"You should send your application to NYADA if you don't want to be late" Will continued.

 

Kurt turned towards the counter and took a deep breath. They had been through this a lot of times and Will still didn't want to accept that Kurt wouldn't go back to New York.

 

"I won't try again" Kurt said. "I'm happy here with you, guys. I don't want to waste my time for another application. It's pointless."

 

"No, it's not" Will said and put a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "It's been almost two years, Kurt. Don't get me wrong, it's been great to have you here but I think it's time for you to move on. You have dreams to come true, you can't waste any more time here."

 

Will disappeared in the living room and when he came back, he had a few papers in his hands.

 

"I filled them for you. You only have to sign them and wait for the answer. What do you think?" he asked.

 

Kurt looked down at the papers. Close enough for him to touch them, there were his dreams. Things he had wanted so badly once. But now that he looked down at the papers, he hesitated. He was afraid that he would fail again and he wouldn't be able to bear it.

 

"Thanks, but I won't try again. I don't have a chance to get in" Kurt said and walked out of the kitchen. He needed fresh air.

 

Will looked after him for a while and then turned back to the papers. He hesitated for a moment but then he grabbed a pencil and signed the papers for Kurt. No matter what Kurt thought, Will believed that he was a star like Rachel or Mercedes or any other former glee club member who could get out of Lima. Kurt could do it, too, and he was going to help him, even if Kurt didn't want him to.

 

~ o ~

 

It was just a few weeks before Danny's first birthday when Will called him to ask for a favor. He wanted to take Emma to see a play in the theatre and celebrate their wedding anniversary, so he asked Kurt to babysit Danny. Kurt agreed, of course. His friends deserved a night off.

 

When Kurt arrived at their house, the others were ready to go. Emma had a long list in her hands and pushed it into Kurt's hands.

 

"I've just feeded him, so he won't be hungry for a few hours. Bath time is at 7, right after dinner" she explained.

 

"Sing him _Don't Stop Believin'_ , kiss his forehead and leave him in his bed. He will fall asleep without help" Will continued.

 

"If anything goes wrong, call us immediately" Emma said.

 

"We will be back by ten" Will said.

 

"Don't worry, we will be fine" Kurt said and smiled at the baby boy in his hands. "Right, Danny?"

 

"Are you sure we can leave you two?" Emma asked in concern.

 

"Emma, Kurt's perfectly capable of taking care of Danny, don't worry" Will smiled.

 

"That's right" Kurt said. "You two enjoy your date."

 

"Thank you, Kurt" Will said.

 

He and Emma hugged Danny one last time and walked out of the house.

 

"Okay, Danny. What do you want to do?" Kurt asked the little boy.

 

Danny giggled and grabbed Kurt's shirt. He always enjoyed playtime with Kurt.

 

The evening passed smoothly, Kurt followed the orders Emma had written down for him, although he and Danny were so lost in playing with a weird talking dog that he put Danny into his bed almost an hour later than he was supposed to. The boy fell asleep immediately and Kurt went into the living room to watch some TV while waiting for his friends to come home. He doozed off at some point and woke up in the middle of the night to Danny's cries. He rubbed his tired eyes and walked into the boy's room. Danny was sitting in his crib and he seemed upset for some reason. Kurt pulled him into his arms and walked to the rocking chair. Within a minute, Danny was asleep again.

 

Kurt put the baby down and went back to the living room. It was past midnight and Will and Emma were still not home. Kurt frowned and grabbed his phone from the table. They were supposed to be home hours earlier.

 

Will didn't pick up his phone, so Kurt tried Emma next. He couldn't reach her either.

 

"This is weird" he muttered to himself and dialed Will's number again.

 

In the next few hours, he called his friends several times but they never picked up. Kurt was in full panic mode. Something must have happened and he had no idea what to do. Should he call the police? Or Emma's parents? He shook his head at the thought. Emma hadn't talked to her parents for years.

 

Danny woke up again and no matter what Kurt did, he didn't calm down. Kurt went through his list, desperately trying to find a solution to help Danny. Sadly, Emma didn't leave a note about what he should do with the crying baby in the middle of the night.

 

"Baby, calm down, It's alright" Kurt said but Danny just cried harder.

 

Kurt stood up with him and walked into the living room again. He called Will for the millionth time that night but all he could reach was the answering machine again.

 

"Will, it's me" Kurt said. "It's almost dawn and you're still not home. Please, pick up. I'm worried about you." Kurt stopped for a second to shush Danny. "Danny is awake and he is crying. I don't know what I should do. Should I feed him or change his diaper? Please, call me when you get this."

 

Since he didn't get an answer and Danny wouldn't stop crying, he changed his diaper and made him a bottle but it was useless. Danny wouldn't take any food and Kurt started getting desperate. He was worried sick and he still didn't know where the others were.

 

Two hours later, the home phone started ringing. Kurt frowned as he stepped closer and picked it up. It was still too early for a call unless... unless something was very wrong.

 

"Hello?"

 

"May I speak to Mr Kurt Hummel, please?"

 

It was an unfamiliar feminine voice and she knew that Kurt spent the night at Will's. She was quiet and calm. Too calm. Kurt squeezed the phone and tightened his arm around Danny.

 

"Yes, this is Kurt" he said, his voice shaking.

 

"Mr Hummel, there was an accident..."

 

Kurt didn't hear most of what the woman told him. Once the words 'accident' and 'died' hit him, within a sentence including Will and Emma's names, he dropped the phone and fell to his knees. Danny went completely silent in his arms and looked up at him with those large brown eyes of his. Kurt opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He felt hot tears running down his face and his whole body shaking.

 

Will and Emma were gone.

~ o ~

Kurt felt numb. The room was full of people around him but he couldn't think about anything but his friends and their son who was still in his arms. He had no idea how all of these people ended up in Will and Emma's house. He remembered calling his father and asking for his help desperately but he didn't remember when he had arrived. And it wasn't the only moment of the morning that hadn't caught his attention.

 

Soon after he had arrived and questioned Kurt, Burt Hummel called back the police to talk about Danny. An hour later, two policemen and a woman from CPS had stepped through the front door. They had had a conversation with Burt, but Kurt hadn't heard a single word. He had kept his eyes on the little baby boy in his arms and whispered reassuring words into his ears.

 

"Kurt?"

 

Kurt heard his name but he didn't reply. His eyes were still on Danny who looked desperate and didn't understand anything. He wasn't the only one. Kurt hoped that it was a nightmare and he would wake up soon.

 

"Kurt, listen to me" Burt said again and crouched down in front of his son.

 

Kurt forced himself to look away from Danny and up at his father.

 

"Kurt, this lady is from CPS. She's gonna take Danny with her" Burt explained quietly.

 

Kurt blinked in confusion. The unfamiliar woman stepped closer to them and reached out towards Danny.

 

"Are you crazy?" Kurt asked when he finally understood what was going on. "He-he lost his parents! He has the most horrible day of his life and you want to take him away from people who know him?"

 

"Mr Hummel, calm down" one of the polimen said. "This is the usual process. Daniel will be safe and once the court decides on a guardian, he can leave with them."

 

"And then what? You-you will give him some strangers? He needs people who know him and love him! Who are you to decide what's the best for him? You don't even know his name! Nobody calls him Daniel, because it's too long and serious and Emma hated it..."

 

"Kurt" Burt said gently and put a hand on his son's shoulder.

 

"Mr Hummel, we will take care of Danny. I swear" the woman said.

 

"He can surely stay with us until you find him a guardian" Kurt whispered.

 

"Kurt, there's nothing we can do. Let them take care of him" Burt said.

 

Kurt had been through a lot of hard things in his life but letting Danny out of his arms was the hardest. The boy's wide eyes grew larger as he was pulled into the woman's arms, he started screaming and trashing. It broke Kurt's heart.

 

"Shh, little one, it will be fine" the woman said.

 

Danny didn't calm down, he just cried harder. Kurt was crying with him and hugged his father for support. Watching Danny's suffering was pure torture.

 

"You should take this" Kurt said and pulled away from his father to grab the toy from the couch. It was an old lamb, Will's toy from his childhood and they kept it in Danny's bed because he couldn't sleep without it. "It helps him calm down."

 

"Thank you" the woman smiled.

 

"Come on, son, there's nothing else we can do" Burt said and grabbed his son's arm, leading him out of the house.

 

~ o ~

 

"Kurt, you have to eat" Burt said the next morning and placed a plate in front of Kurt. The younger man sighed and pushed it away.

 

"I'm not hungry."

 

Kurt hadn't eaten or slept since they had gotten home the previous day. He was worried about Danny and couldn't stop thinking about the boy. The images of Danny crying in that woman's arms kept torturing him and he had horrible thoughts about what could have happened to the baby.

 

"You have to eat something" Burt said.

 

"Do you think we could visit him?" Kurt asked.

 

"Kurt..."

 

"I know we aren't his family but there has to be a way..."

 

"Kurt, Danny's fine" Burt said. "I know you're worried about him, we all are. But those people at CPS know what to do. They will keep him safe."

 

"It's so cruel" Kurt said quietly. "He lost his parents and they forced him to leave everyone and everything he knew."

 

"He's stronger than you think" Burt said. "He will be alright. Now let's eat something, Will's lawyer wants to talk to you. He will be here soon."

 

"What does he want from me?" Kurt asked.

 

"I have no idea" Burt sighed. "Eat up and get ready. That's an order."

 

Kurt rolled his eyes but grabbed the fork from the table. He forced himself to swallow some food because he knew that his father wouldn't leave him alone unless he had something to eat but stood up from the table the second Burt left the room.

 

"I'm sure this is a very difficult time for you, obviously" the lawyer said twenty minutes later as he stepped through their front door.

 

Kurt only nodded and led the man into their living room.

 

"You must have many questions" the lawyer continued as he sat down.

 

Kurt had only one question. He didn't care what would happen to his friends' home or car or anything else they had, he just wanted to know if Danny was safe.

 

"What will happen to Danny now?" he asked without hesitation. Will had no family left, Emma's sister lived in Europe, and the only family she had in Ohio were her parents. Kurt didn't know them personally but he knew how horrible people they were. He didn't want Danny to live with them.

 

"Well, I have already arranged for his transfer. The foster family he was with will bring him to CPS. He just needs to be picked up and brought here" the lawyer answered.

 

Kurt frowned. By here he meant... he didn't mean... Right?

 

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about" Kurt said.

 

"Did Will and Emma talk to you about their guardianship arrangements?" the lawyer asked slowly.

 

"No" Kurt shook his head.

 

"Well, in preparing their will, we talked about who would take care of Danny... in the unlikely event that they should both die..." Kurt closed his eyes and forced his tears back. It wasn't the time to cry, he had to be strong. "...And they named you."

 

Kurt's eyes snapped open. He must have heard something wrong. He was so worried about Danny that now he was hallucinating. Great.

 

"I'm sorry. Can you repeat the last part?" he asked.

 

"Will and Emma wanted you to take care of Danny after their death" the lawyer said.

 

Kurt opened his mouth but nothing came out. The idea of Will and Emma picking him to take care of Danny seemed like a bad joke. He was barely able to take care of _himself,_ his friends had been too rational to think that he would be able to raise Danny. Right?

 

"This is a joke, right?" he asked in the end.

 

"I know this is overwhelming" the lawyer said. "But there are options. You can say no. Because this is a big deal. This is a child. Big commitment."

 

Kurt was breathing heavily and he looked around with wide eyes. It had to be a nightmare, a cruel nightmare, but he would wake up eventually. Will and Emma were alive, he wasn't named as the guardian of their child, all of these wasn't happening.

 

But he could have waited for years, it didn't change anything. He was in the reality and he had to say something. But what? He didn't want to say no. He loved Danny and taking care of him meant that the boy would be safe. But how could he raise a baby when he was still living with his father and had barely enough money for himself?

 

"You mentioned that there were some other options" Kurt said.

 

"Yes. We have Emma's parents" the lawyer answered.

 

Kurt shook his head. He would never let those freaks go near Danny.

 

"And Emma's sister. Although that would be a hard case, you know, they live in Europe and it would be hard for Danny to move so far and start a new life there" the lawyer said.

 

Kurt nodded. Yeah, he agreed with him perfectly. Danny had had enough traumatic events in his life, he didn't need more.

 

"So what if I..."

 

"They named you. So if you agree, I set up a court hearing to grant you temporary custody" the lawyer said.

 

His dad would kill him. He wouldn't understand Kurt's decision, but it was fine. Kurt knew what he had to do and he would find another job if he had to.

 

"Let's do it."

 

~ o ~

 

Burt and Carole took the news surprisingly well and they went with Kurt to pick up Danny. The boy was so happy when he saw them, he threw every toy away and reached out towards Kurt. Kurt pulled him into his arms and kissed his forehead. Danny had gone through hell the last day and he swore that he wouldn't let him suffer ever again. It was his responsibility to take care of him and he wouldn't let him down.

 

They moved Danny's things into Kurt's room but agreed that they would clean up Finn's old room for the boy. Kurt hoped that Finn wouldn't mind. He would have loved Danny, and it wasn't like he would come back...

 

When Danny fell asleep that night, Kurt walked down into the living room. His father was watching TV and opened a beer for himself when Kurt walked into the room.

 

"Is he alright?" Burt asked.

 

"Yeah, he's just fallen asleep" Kurt sighed and sat down beside his father. He grabbed the other beer from the table and took a long sip of it. Burt raised an eyebrow. "What?"

 

"You never drink" Burt answered.

 

"Well, it was a rough day" Kurt answered.

 

"Right" Burt nodded. "What are you gonna do?"

 

"I have no idea" Kurt sighed.

 

"Well, you have to figure out" Burt said seriously. "You have a kid now. You're responsible for his life."

 

"I really don't know, Dad. Can we not talk about it right now?" Kurt pleaded.

 

"You had two whole years to figure out what to do with your life" Burt said. "It's time to take it seriously."

 

Kurt sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. His father was right, of course, especially now that he had Danny.

 

"I will find a new job" Kurt decided. "Will and Emma wanted the best for Danny and I won't let them down. I will raise Danny and give him everything he needs."

 

"You know, New York is still an option. You would have a better job there" Burt said hesitantly.

 

"Dad..."

 

"Just think about it" Burt interrupted. "I'm glad you want to make Danny happy, but he would be a lot happier if you were happy. I know it will be hard at first but I will help you with everything. Don't throw your dreams away."

 

Kurt nodded, although he knew for sure that he would never move back to New York. He had decided it years earlier.

 

~ o ~

 

The funeral was beautiful, exactly how Kurt imagined it. All of Will and Emma's friends were there, the speeches were moving and short enough for Danny to sit quietly in Kurt's lap. All of the former New Directions members came back to say goodbye and they chose to sit beside Kurt, giving him and Danny support.

 

Later that day, when they returned home, the doorbell rang. Kurt went to open the door and to his surprise, he found Rachel, Mercedes, Quinn and Puck standing at the door.

 

"Hey, honey" Rachel said and hugged Kurt tightly. "How are you doing?"

 

Kurt smiled sadly at her. They knew very well how he felt. Kurt looked up at Quinn and Puck then. He didn't expect them to visit him.

 

"We brought you food" Quinn explained and showed the paper bag in her hands.

 

"Come in" Kurt said and helped them carry the food inside.

 

"Oh, you're such a beautiful little boy" Mercedes cooed when she saw Danny in the playpen. He smiled at them and shook the toy he had in his hand.

 

"Hello, Mini Schuester. Do you want to play with me?" Puck smiled and lifted the baby out of the playpen.

 

"Be careful. He isn't in a good mood" Kurt said. "He hasn't eaten anything since morning."

 

"It must be so hard for him" Rachel said.

 

"Yeah. I guess he's still waiting for them to come home" Kurt whispered. "But it's not good for him. He needs to eat. I'm afraid that he will get sick if I don't do something."

 

"Can I try something?" Quinn asked.

 

Kurt nodded. He was out of ideas, so if his friends could help him, he would be so grateful. He went out into the kitchen with Quinn and made a quick lunch for Danny. They walked back into the living room where they found Danny sitting on Puck who was lying on the ground, smiling happily.

 

"Puck, sit up and hold him" Quinn said and knelt down beside them. "Here, Danny. It's delicious."

 

Danny looked at the food with wide eyes and turned his head away.

 

"You aren't hungry?" Puck asked and grabbed a piece of meat from the plate and put it into his mouth. "Hm, it's amazing, dear! Are you sure you don't want to taste it, Danny?"

 

Puck – much to Kurt's horror – held a piece of meat to the boy's mouth without using a fork. But Kurt didn't say a word because Danny opened his mouth and took the food gladly.

 

"He's eating!" Kurt said excitedly.

 

"Of course. Master Puck is the best babysitter of the world" Puck winked.

 

"Kids always follow adults' actions. If he sees you eat fruit, he will know that fruit is good. That's so simple" Quinn explained.

 

"How do you know that?" Kurt asked.

 

"We have a kid, remember?" Puck asked.

 

"You don't raise Beth" Kurt pointed out.

 

"It doesn't matter. Instincts come the moment you become a parent. You will feel it, too" Puck said.

 

"I hope so" Kurt sighed.

 

"It must be scary now but you have to know, you're not alone" Rachel said.

 

"If you need our help, call us" Mercedes smiled.

 

"Than you, guys. You're amazing" Kurt said and hugged the women.

 

"You can call us, too" Quinn said and handed Kurt a piece of paper. "This is my number. You can call me whenever you want."

 

"Especially if you need a babysitter" Puck continued. "I like the little guy."

 

Kurt was close to tears again. He was so glad that he had such amazing friends.

 

~ o ~

 

When everybody left and it was just the four of them, Kurt had to admit that raising a baby was hard. He got a job as a waiter at Breadstix and helped his father in his shop to earn enough money for Danny and himself. It was still not enough to move out of his father's house but he didn't mind. It was good not to be alone with a baby. Burt came up with New York several times but Kurt didn't listen to him. Their life was crazy enough, he didn't want to move with Danny.

 

Becoming Danny's guardian was an easy case. Kurt expected a long process but it didn't take more than five minutes. The judge didn't even ask questions and before Kurt realised, they were lead out of the courtroom with the decision that he got custody of Danny. It was a relief that they didn't have to be afraid of losing Danny. It didn't mean that they were left alone, though. There was a woman from Social Services who kept coming to them in the most unexpected moments, she went through the whole house every time and asked weird questions. Kurt was afraid of her but she didn't cause any trouble, so after a while, Kurt calmed down. Danny was healthy and had everything he needed, there was no chance that they would take him away from Kurt.

 

Kurt still missed something but he didn't want to admit it. Since Sue Sylvester had gotten rid of him and found a better director for the New Directions, Kurt had lost something very important. He missed rehearsals, he missed being on the stage and singing, and he didn't want to imagine what Danny would think about him because he was just a simple waiter. He would be so disappointed and it was completely understandable. Kurt screwed up his life willingly.

 

One day, when Kurt got home from work, hoping to have a shower and play with Danny, he found a smaller crowd in their living room. Danny was in the playpen, Burt and Carole on the couch, and beside Danny, Rachel and Mercedes were kneeling, singing together for the boy who really enjoyed it. When they saw Kurt, everybody fell silent. The girls looked at Burt and Burt looked at Carole. Kurt knew that something was wrong.

 

"What happened?" he asked in concern.

 

"We came to visit you!" Rachel said cheerfully.

 

Kurt rolled his eyes.

 

"Right before your audition? I don't think so" Kurt said. "Come on, tell me."

 

Burt took a deep breath and reached for the envelop on the table. Kurt's eyes widened, a million thoughts running through his mind. Was his dad sick? Didn't they pay the bills – no, no, that was impossible, they always paid the bills and it was certainly something more serious. Yeah, Burt must have been sick. God, what if his dad had cancer again?

 

"It's yours" Burt said and handed Kurt the envelop. "It came yesterday but I thought you would need the girls when you open it."

 

Kurt frowned and looked down at the envelop. He got paler than before and didn't understand a thing. The letter came from NYADA.

 

"I-I don't understand" he whispered and looked from one person to the other.

 

"Open it" Rachel said. She must have known what was inside because she was practically vibrating with excitement.

 

Kurt opened the envelop and took out the letter. It was so similar to the letters he had gotten earlier. But something wasn't right...

 

"It-it says that I got in" he said in confusion. He didn't understand a thing. How could he get in when he hadn't even applied to NYADA?

 

"Congratulations!" Mercedes said awkwardly. She knew what was coming.

 

"How is it possible?" Kurt frowned. "I haven't... I'm not... This is insane!"

 

"We didn't tell you because we knew what your reaction would be" Burt explained. "Will sent your application and with your friends' help, they made a video, so that Carmen something could see how amazing you are. And it worked."

 

Kurt still couldn't believe it. He had tried to get into NYADA, not just once, but he had never succeeded. But it worked when he didn't even apply? It made no sense.

 

"It must be a mistake" Kurt said in the end and dropped the letter. He walked to Danny and pulled him into his arms.

 

"It's real, Kurt" Rachel smied. "I talked to Carmen Tibideaux myself. She loved your video and can't wait to meet you again in September."

 

"I won't go" Kurt said. "I don't want this. I-I'm happy with my life, I don't need NYADA or New York. I have a baby to take care of and... and..."

 

"You want it" Burt said quietly. He could tell that Kurt was lying to them.

 

"Why did you lie to me?" Kurt asked when he was out of excuses.

 

"Will told me that you said no" Burt explained. "He told me about his plan and we agreed not to tell you until you get answer from the school."

 

"It was pointless. I won't go" Kurt said.

 

"Enough of this craziness, Kurt!" Burt said in frustration. "I waited. I gave you two whole years to do something but you shut everyone and everything out and pretended like it was what you wanted. We all know how much you want that school and you're ready! Life's too short to waste your time. You don't know when it will end and you have to get the best out of it before it happens!"

 

Burt was practically shouting in the end. When he finished his speech, the room fell silent. Nobody moved, even Danny was quiet in Kurt's arms, waiting for the man to say something.

 

"We're gonna be upstairs" Kurt said quietly. "I-I need time to think."

 

He turned to leave but Rachel stopped him at the stairs. She pressed his letter and a disk into his free hand and smiled at him.

 

"Watch it" she said and stepped back.

 

Kurt nodded and walked upstairs with Danny. He shut his door and went to his bed. Danny had his own room but he usually stayed with Kurt, he had most of his things in the man's room. Kurt laid him down onto the bed and gave him a toy to play with and threw the letter and the disk onto the bed as well. He lay down beside Danny and watched him, raising an eyebrow as the boy pushed the toy away and grabbed the disk instead.

 

"We won't watch it" Kurt said.

 

Danny squeaked and pushed the disk towards Kurt.

 

"Danny, just let me think, please" Kurt pleaded.

 

Danny made a last attempt to push the disk into Kurt's hand and then turned to his stomach to reach his toy. He was completely silent as he twisted the toy in his hands but he kept his eyes on Kurt. The man shook his head. Danny was only one year old but he seemed to know what was going on around him.

 

"This is crazy" Kurt sighed. "Let's think rationally. If we move to New York and I go to school, I have to get a job, too. We need money. But I wouldn't have time for you. Is that what you want?"

 

Danny watched Kurt and shook the toy in his hand.

 

"I don't have money for an apartment, so we would live with Rachel" Kurt continued.

 

Danny giggled and shook his toy again.

 

"I don't think you understand. I'm talking about _Rachel_. She has the weirdest eating habits and she can't stop singing. Like, ever. And she would sing from Funny Girl all the time" Kurt said with a small smile. He couldn't deny that he missed Rachel.

 

Danny sat up on the bed and looked at the disk again. Then he grabbed the letter with furrowed brows and lifted it in front of his eyes. Kurt laughed. Danny seemed exactly like he was reading the letter.

 

"You know what? We should watch that video. I want to know what your dad made for me."

 

Kurt stood up and grabbed his laptop from the desk. In two minutes, he was ready to play it for them. He grabbed Danny from the bed, so he couldn't play with the keyboard and started the video.

 

The first scene had been taken in the auditorium. Kurt was singing and dancing, and from the song he realised that it had been right before Regionals when he had tried to make their group number perfect.

 

_"This is Kurt Hummel, the co-director of New Directions."_

 

The background changed and Will smiled into the camera.

 

"Papa!" Danny yelled and Kurt tightened his arms around him. He hoped that Danny wouldn't be upset after watching this.

 

Will talked about working together with Kurt, about his ideas and how they had won several competitions together. Then, to Kurt's surprise, his friends said a few words about him. Rachel, Mercedes, Sam, Tina, Artie... almost everybody from the old team. There was a scene with the New Directions members where a few newer members talked about Kurt's hard work. In the end, his father talked about Kurt and how proud of him he was. The video ended with a few more scenes where Kurt was on the stage or in the choir room, giving advice for the students, and Will talking in the background.

 

_"Ladies and Gentleman, I hope we could show you how talented Kurt is. He is really good but he can be the best and he only needs one thing for that: the best teachers, and it would be you. Give him a chance and you won't be disappointed."_

 

Will smiled into the camera one more time and the video ended.

 

Kurt continued to stare at the screen in front of him. He didn't notice that Danny climbed out of his lap, he didn't notice that he was crying. He couldn't believe that his friends had done this for him, that they loved him so much and wanted to make his dreams come true. He felt bad for the things he had told the girls and his father downstairs.

 

"Ha?"

 

Kurt wiped his tears away and looked at Danny. The boy crawled back to the letter and pushed it towards Kurt. When Kurt didn't take it, Danny shook the letter and made urgent noises.

 

"Did they corrupt you, too?" Kurt laughed.

 

Danny pressed his lips together and shook the letter again. He did it every time he wanted to tell Kurt something and was frustrated because Kurt didn't understand him. This time, Kurt knew very well what Danny wanted to say. He just wasn't sure if he could do it.

 

"Do you really want to go?" Kurt asked.

 

He took the letter from Danny and the boy giggled. He was happy that Kurt finally understood what he wanted.

 

"It's my time, right?" Kurt sniffled. He took Danny into his arms again and kissed his forehead. "I guess we're gonna move back to New York."

 

He knew that it would be hard for both of them but he had to believe that they could make it. Together.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... what do you think?


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter, I hope you like it!

They were absolutely silent. After telling Blaine his story, Kurt felt so tired, he just enjoyed the warmth of the other's body behind him. Somehow, they had ended up in this position, with Blaine sitting on the ground and Kurt between his legs, with Blaine's arms around him. Kurt wasn't sure when it had happened. He remembered Blaine sitting closer to him, he remembered his gentle touch on his skin as the man tried to comfort him but he had no idea why they were on the ground and why he was sitting between Blaine's legs. He wasn't complaining, not at all. It was always hard to talk about Will and Emma, the painful memories made him upset and Blaine gave him exactly what Kurt needed: with Blaine's arms around him, he didn't feel so alone anymore.

Blaine was completely lost in his thoughts. Just like Kurt, he wasn't aware of the other man in his arms or the gentle movements he made as he tried to comfort Kurt. He went through the words Kurt had told him over and over again, unable to understand how Kurt could go over all of this and still be that amazing person Blaine knew. Kurt was incredibly strong, that was sure. If Blaine had been through only half of Kurt's suffering, he would have gone crazy. 

Will and Emma must have been wise people to choose Kurt to take care of Danny. Blaine saw with his own eyes how much Kurt loved the boy and gave him everything he needed. Kurt was the perfect person for the job and if Kurt said the truth, he had needed Danny's company just as much. It was horrible to think about it but that accident had been what Kurt had really needed. Something to pull him out of his misery and try to do something with his life.

"So you moved to New York after that?" Blaine asked when he reached that point of his thoughts.

"Yeah. In the end of August" Kurt answered. "I had just enough time to find a job as a waiter and pack out our things. We lived with Rachel at first, she and Mercedes helped us a lot in the beginning. I had to work a lot and go to classes, I couldn't have done it all alone. It became easier with every day but it was still too much. I don't know how I did it with only a few hours of sleep for years but I guess I knew it wouldn't be that way forever. And I was right. Okay, with dating Sebastian it only got worse but after that, when we moved back to Rachel, we were fine."

"You started acting then?" Blaine asked.

"Yes. Rachel found a play, it seemed crazy for me at first but she convinced me to try it. I got the lead and the play was really successful. I got one job after the other and I didn't need to work at the diner anymore" Kurt said. "I finished school, got a job in the theater and a lot of other projects. I sang several duets with Mercedes and I played in Rachel's TV show. As people got to know me, I got better projects. Oh, and don't forget Tina. She became my manager that time and she did an amazing job. Okay, she's still amazing. Workaholic, just like me."

Blaine laughed and shook his head.

"I'm sure she isn't that bad" Blaine said. "Wait... What TV show were you in?"

Kurt blushed and turned his head, so Blaine couldn't see his face.

"I don't think you saw it. It was a disaster, it was cancelled after the third episode" Kurt said.

"I know!" Blaine said excitedly. "Rachel Berry Project or something like that. You were the crazy guy in the frog costume!"

"Dinosaur" Kurt muttered.

"That was hilarious! I was sure the guys writing it were on drugs because it was completely insane. I can't believe you played in that show willingly" Blaine smiled.

"I tried to help Rachel, okay?" Kurt gasped and punched Blaine's arm. "Besides, it was Tina's first project. She begged for me to take that job."

Blaine was laughing so hard that he had tears in his eyes.

"Hey" Kurt said and almost hit him again but Blaine jumped away this time.

"I'm sorry. But you should know, you're my favourite frog in the TV history" Blaine said.

"Dinosaur" Kurt corrected him again.

"Okay, dinosaur" Blaine said. "Do you still have that costume because..."

Kurt didn't let him end the sentence, he got to his knees quickly and tickled Blaine. The man fell back to the ground, laughing. 

"No, stop" Blaine laughed. 

"Promise me you won't talk about that roll again" Kurt said.

"You were a cute little dinosaur..."

Kurt tickled him again, sat on Blaine's legs and grabbed his wrists. He pushed Blaine's hands down beside his head and leaned forward to hold him down with his weight.

"Promise."

"Never."

"Do you want me to tickle you again?" Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What if I will be faster?" Blaine challenged.

Kurt opened his mouth to reply but Blaine was truly faster than him. He freed his hands from Kurt's grip in no time, grabbed the man's waist and pushed him down onto the ground beside him. Before Kurt realised what was happening, he was lying on his back with his hands pinned down above his head and Blaine sitting on him.

"Good move, bodyguard" Kurt said.

"That's what you pay me for" Blaine smiled.

"Well, this is certainly not what I pay you for" Kurt said.

"Oh, come on. I know you enjoy the sight" Blaine said flirtily.

"I could have better" Kurt replied.

"Really?" Blaine smirked. He held Kurt's wrists down with one hand and used the other to tickle him. 

"You're not getting anywhere with this" Kurt said and forced himself to lie still.

"Really?" Blaine asked and tickled Kurt again.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Kurt said and started laughing as he couldn't hold it back anymore.

"Life's not fair, Kurt" Blaine said. "Now tell me what I want to hear."

"You're the most terrible bodyguard of the world" Kurt said.

"You think so?" Blaine asked and leaned back down over Kurt. His face was so close to Kurt's, their lips almost met. Almost.

"You're incredible. You know that" Kurt whispered and licked his lips.

Blaine fought off the urge to grab his face and kiss him hard because he knew they couldn't do that. He forced himself to sit up and tried to hide his true feelings.

"That's what I wanted to hear" Blaine said with a forced smile.

He got up from the ground and helped Kurt up to his feet. They had to cool down or at least Blaine knew he had to cool down before he did something he would regret later. Without leaving Kurt, of course. They were finally alone, Blaine had no idea when it would happen again and he wanted to enjoy this moments. Since he couldn't remember what they had been talking about before the dinosaur thing, he looked around in the room, desperate to find something to talk about.

"Would you like to play?" Kurt asked, seeing Blaine's distress.

Blaine looked back at him. Kurt seemed perfectly fine and calm, the only sign betraying his behaviour was the slightly reddish color of his cheeks. He was surely a better actor than Blaine but it was his job after all.

"Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely" Blaine said.

He sat down onto the piano bench and started playing the first song that came into his mind.

You think I'm pretty without any make-up on  
You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong  
I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down

Before you met me, I was alright  
But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life  
Now every February you'll be my Valentine, Valentine 

Kurt raised an eyebrow at Blaine's weird choice but the man seemed so happy and carefree as he was singing, he pulled Kurt into the song before he knew what he was doing and they continued singing together.

Let's go all the way tonight  
No regrets, just love  
We can dance until we die  
You and I, we'll be young forever

You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream  
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep  
Let's runaway and don't ever look back  
Don't ever look back

My heart stops when you look at me  
Just one touch, now baby I believe  
This is real, so take a chance  
And don't ever look back, don't ever look back 

Kurt almost stopped singing when Blaine fell silent. He felt like the first time he had been on the stage, he was nervous and afraid of the man's reaction. But he was a good singer, even if Katy Perry wasn't really his thing, he could sing anything he had to.

We drove to Cali and got drunk on the beach  
Got a motel and built a fort out of sheets  
I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece  
I'm complete

Let's go all the way tonight  
No regrets, just love  
We can dance until we die  
You and I, we'll be young forever

You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream  
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep  
Let's runaway and don't ever look back  
Don't ever look back

My heart stops when you look at me  
Just one touch, now baby I believe  
This is real, so take a chance  
And don't ever look back, don't ever look back 

"Good job, Mr Hummel" Blaine said quickly and jumped up to dance to the rest of the song he sang alone.

I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans  
Be your teenage dream tonight  
Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans  
Be your teenage dream tonight

You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream  
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep  
Let's runaway and don't ever look back  
Don't ever look back

My heart stops when you look at me  
Just one touch, now baby I believe  
This is real, so take a chance  
And don't ever look back, don't ever look back

I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans  
Be your teenage dream tonight  
Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans  
Be your teenage dream tonight 

"Amazing!" Kurt cheered as Blaine stepped away from the piano and bowed as if there were people watching them. Then he grabbed Kurt's hand, pulled him to his side and motioned towards him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Kurt Hummel" Blaine said and stepped away from him. "Bow, Kurt."

"You're crazy" Kurt laughed but bowed towards their invisible audience. "But I don't mind. Even when you sing Katy Perry and dance like a duck."

"You're so cruel, Kurt" Blaine said with a fake hurt expression.

Kurt shook his head and when they were finally able to stop laughing, he went back to the piano bench and sat down, avoiding Blaine's gaze.

"You know, I'm glad Will sent your application to NYADA. You're really talented, Kurt" Blaine said as he joined Kurt.

"He was a good man" Kurt said quietly. "And the best teacher I had. He always told me to believe in my dreams because I could be a great star one day."

"And he was right" Blaine nodded.

"It's so sad he couldn't be here to see it" Kurt said.

Blaine reached out and grabbed Kurt's hand. The other man gave him a small smile in return.

"I'm sure wherever he is, he's watching you" Blaine said. 

"I don't believe in this staff, you know" Kurt said.

"I would have been surprised if you did" Blaine smiled. "Hey, don't be sad. You lost them but you have an amazing family. You have Danny, your father, Carole, Tina and the two girls whose name I don't remember."

"Rachel and Mercedes" Kurt said.

"Oh, yes. Rachel's the flirty brunett, right?" Blaine asked.

"Yes, she is" Kurt nodded, blushing slightly.

"You see? You have a whole bunch of cool people around you. Including me" Blaine winked.

"Of course" Kurt rolled his eyes but when Blaine started laughing, he laughed with him, too.

~ o ~

It was Sunday morning and the Hummel house was unusually loud. There was music coming from the kitchen where Kurt and Danny were preparing breakfast for everyone. It had been Danny's idea. He felt still bad for what he had done, even after Kurt had reassured him that it was fine. He wanted to apologise to Blaine and hoped that a nice breakfast would help him.

Once Nick checked the room, Kurt shut everybody out of the kitchen. He didn't want to see any Warbler until the breakfast was done. He loved surprises and there was only one thing that he loved more: when he surprised others. 

Once Nick was gone – or better say, kicked out –, Kurt explained Danny how to do pancakes and stood beside him to help if necessary. The first few ones didn't look too well but after a while, Danny learnt the tricks and he made enough pancakes they could serve the Warblers. He made coffee as well but Kurt watched him to whole time, just for precaution. Danny had promised him not to do anything against Blaine but it didn't mean he wouldn't try to put some spice into somebody else's coffee.

"Ready?" Kurt asked as Danny stepped away from the table he had set. The boy checked everything carefully and when he was satisfied with what he saw, he nodded.

"Ready" Danny smiled.

"Okay. Call them" Kurt said.

Danny ran out of the kitchen and from the shouting coming from the living room, Kurt guessed he found somebody there. When Danny was excited, he was loud. Like really-really loud. He didn't even realise that he was yelling and gesturing with wide movements. Kurt shook his head as he listened to him, ready to join them if necessary.

Danny didn't need him, though. To make the Warblers move faster, he grabbed David and Wes's hands and dragged them into the kitchen. When he was done with that, he turned around to go back for the others as Kurt turned away to hide his grin, but Blaine and Jeff were already there.

"Sit down" Danny said. "Breakfast's getting cold. Where's Nick?"

"He's checking on the cameras" Jeff answered.

"Unacceptable" Danny shook his head with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

Now Kurt wasn't the only one whose body was shaking from suppressed laugh. Danny was absolutely adorable.

"Your son's the future Gordon Ramsay" Blaine whispered into Kurt's ear.

"I hope not" Kurt snorted.

"I will get Nick. Sit down, everybody" Danny said and turned to leave.

"Yes, sir" Jeff saluted, smiling at the boy. 

Blaine sat down with his friends, eyeing the food suspiciously. After the last time when Danny had slipped hot sauce into his coffee, he didn't know what to expect.

"I watched him when he made breakfast" Kurt said as if he was able to read Blaine's thoughts. "Don't worry, there's no trick this time. Besides, he made it mostly for you. He wants to apologise."

Blaine grabbed his fork and took a small bite of the pancake. 

"It's delicious" he smiled.

"Tell the chef when he comes back" Kurt said.

In a minute, Danny reappeared in the kitchen, dragging a confused Nick with him.

"Breakfast's the most important meal of the day. You can't skip it" Danny said and led Nick to an empty chair.

"Somebody has to watch the cameras" Nick muttered.

"It's fine, Nick. We're all here, I'm sure the stalker isn't stupid enough to try something when Kurt and Danny are with us" Blaine said.

"Fine" Nick sighed but he felt still uncomfortable. He took his job very seriously.

"Blaine, Danny wants to tell you something" Kurt said after a while.

All of the Warblers turned towards the boy who went pale from all the attention.

"Everybody's looking at me" Danny whispered to Kurt. They had agreed that he would apologise but he was scared of doing it in front of everybody.

"We should go outside" Blaine said when he saw how nervous Danny became.

Danny smiled at him gladly and grabbed Kurt's hand. They walked out of the room and into the living room where Danny hoped they would have some privacy. 

"So..." Blaine started when Danny didn't say anything.

"I just... I would like to... I'm sorry, Blaine" Danny said, looking down at his shoes. "I brought Cat into your room and I put hot sauce into your coffee. I ruined your pants and I wanted to glue you to your chair. I know it wasn't very nice of me and... and I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted" Blaine smiled and crouched down in front of Danny. "Look at me."

Danny raised his eyes slowly.

"I know why you did it but you have to know, Kurt and you're safe with me. My job's to keep you safe and I wouldn't hurt any of you" Blaine said gently.

"I know" Danny said. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's fine" Blaine smiled. "Nobody got hurt and the others had a lot of fun."

"I'm fine with you being with Kurt. You can come with us to have pancakes, too" Danny said.

"I would definitely love to" Blaine smiled. "But you don't have to be afraid of me taking Kurt away from you. We're just friends, right?"

Kurt blushed as Blaine looked at him, his heart skipping a beat.

"Yeah. Yeah, just friends" Kurt said.

"Even if we weren't, we work together and there's a Warbler rule that we don't date clients" Blaine said, mostly to Kurt.

"Really?" Kurt asked in surprise. "I mean, yeah, that-that makes sense."

"I know. But we're just friends" Blaine said again.

"Just friends" Kurt nodded in agreement. Thank God he was such a good actor. He could smile even when he wanted to cry.

Danny watched the two adults in confusion. He didn't understand why they lied to him and themselves when even he could tell that there was something else going on between them.

As they were talking in the living room and the Warblers chatting in the kitchen, a man in leather jacket and black baseball cap slipped a letter into Kurt's mailbox outside.


	11. Chapter 11

Kurt rubbed his tired eyes and suppressed a yawn. He hadn't had too much sleep the previous night, none of them had. Another letter had been found in his mail box that had destroyed their whole day if the conversation with Blaine hadn't been enough for him. Kurt was getting tired of it. The same procedure repeated itself over and over again, they talked to the police, the policemen tried to look understanding and nice to them, they took the letter and promised to continue their research the best they could. Kurt knew what it meant. There were two policemen working on his case when they had time for it between their other cases which seemed a lot more important. It meant that they didn't do anything unless something serious happened to Kurt.

Kurt couldn't understand why that man chose him over everybody else. Sure, he was far from perfect but he never hurt anybody willingly and he tried to be nice to people. He certainly didn't deserve it. He was getting tired of being afraid but it wasn't himself who he was the most worried about. Danny had had a smaller panic attack the previous night, he hadn't let Kurt out of sight and he had refused to sleep alone. Kurt had spent the whole night in the boy's room, trying to help him calm down as Danny had cried himself into sleep. The effect the stalker had on the boy made Kurt angry. Danny was an innocent child and he had been through too much already, he deserved to grow up in peace.

Once the morning came, Kurt called his therapist and arranged an appointment for Danny. When he was done with it, he got ready and as he prepared Danny's breakfast, he called Tina to meet him as soon as possible. Twenty minutes later, Kurt rushed out of the house, their bodyguards completely forgotten. Kurt was only thinking about Danny and hoped that the boy wouldn't freak out when he didn't find Kurt home. The man had to be done with everything in the morning, so he could spend the day with his son. He didn't care that Danny skipped a day from school, he wasn't in the state to leave anyway. One day off wouldn't hurt.

"I guess you've forgotten something."

Kurt looked up from his keys and sighed when he saw Blaine stepping out of the house. The bodyguard was dressed in his usual clothes, dark jeans with a tight black shirt that made him look so sexy and he was smiling at Kurt, making the man's heart beat faster.

Kurt took a deep breath and opened the door to get in the car. He hadn't had too much time to think about their conversation the previous day but now as he saw Blaine, every single word came back, making him blush. He had almost asked Blaine out because he had thought that there had been something going on between them. Blaine had been nice to him, so Kurt had thought he had had feelings for him. It had been so stupid.

"Huh, somebody isn't in a good mood today" Blaine commented as he got in beside Kurt. "Where are we going?"

"I have to talk to Tina" Kurt answered, avoiding Blaine's gaze. "I promised her yesterday but I wasn't sure if I could leave Danny."

"He's a strong kid, he will be fine" Blaine said.

"I hope so" Kurt replied.

They were silent for the rest of the ride. Kurt tried to be distant because he didn't trust himself anymore. He kept thinking about his feelings and tried to figure out what and when had gone wrong. Blaine had talked to him at the beginning, they had agreed that there wouldn't be anything between them. Kurt had believed that they could work together without having feelings for each other. But... But then he had gotten to know Blaine. Blaine was absolutely perfect, the man Kurt had been searching for so long. He hadn't realized that he had been falling for the man and misunderstood their friendship as something more. He had acted like a silly teenage girl and had almost made an idiot of himself.

When they arrived at Tina's office, Kurt went inside without a word and practically slammed the door into Blaine's face, leaving the confused bodyguard on the corridor alone. He knew that it was rude of him but he didn't want Blaine to be there when he talked to Tina.

"Are you alright?" Tina asked in concern as Kurt stepped inside and went to hug him.

"Yeah" Kurt answered.

"Are you sure?" Tina asked. Kurt looked everything but fine.

"I'm just... tired" Kurt said and sat down. "So you wanted to talk to me."

"Yes" Tina nodded. "I understand that you couldn't make it yesterday but there's something we have to discuss."

"Okay" Kurt nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"I think we should replace the Warblers" Tina said honestly.

"What? But why? It was your idea to choose them" Kurt said.

"I know but I think it was a mistake" Tina sighed. "They're not good enough for the job."

"Why not? I think they do it perfectly" Kurt said.

"Kurt, your stalker was there at your house yesterday and nobody noticed it" Tina pointed out.

"We have the recording of the outdoor cameras. The police might catch him soon" Kurt said.

"Yeah, a tall white man in baseball cap and leather jacket" Tina said.

"It might not be much but..."

"Kurt."

"What's your problem with them?" Kurt asked.

"What's my problem? There were five bodyguards in your home yesterday and none of them noticed a stranger walking up to your mailbox. It was a huge failure. They're supposed to keep their eyes on you and your home. What if your stalker tries to sneak into your room next time? What if something happens to you or Danny?" Tina asked.

"They didn't do anything wrong. It was all my fault" Kurt said.

"I don't understand" Tina frowned.

"Danny... well, he was himself and he might have caused some trouble for Blaine" Kurt said, looking at the man through the glass. "He wanted to apologise, so we made them breakfast and asked them to stay with us."

"Kurt" Tina sighed. "I'm glad you try to get along with them but they're not your friends. They work for you."

"I know" Kurt said and looked at Blaine again. "I just..."

"Oh, no. No" Tina said. "I know this look. Absolutely not, Kurt."

"What?" Kurt asked.

"You have a crush on him" Tina explained.

"No, I don't..."

"Look, Kurt, I understand. Really. He's smoking hot and you have a thing for this kind of men but he's your bodyguard" Tina said.

"I know. I just..." Kurt looked at Blaine again and leaned closer to Tina. "I don't know what's gotten into me. Rationally I know that nothing can happen between us but I like him so much. He's absolutely perfect."

"I know what your problem is" Tina said. "You haven't been in a relationship for a very long time and you're lonely. You have to try to date again."

"I'm not sure I want to" Kurt said. "At least not until my stalker will be caught."

"I think you should try" Tina replied. "But until then... I have the perfect idea how to get this man out of your head."

"How?" Kurt asked.

"Girls' night" Tina answered. "Tonight, your place. I will call the others."

"I'm not sure..."

"No excuses. It's for your sake" Tina said and grabbed her phone from her desk to dial the first number. 

~ o ~

The last thing Kurt needed for that night was spending it with the girls. Usually he liked it when they came over, they had pizza, watched movies and talked about men. They hadn't had any sleepovers for a long time, though, since Kurt had been living with five strangers in his house that made having privacy almost impossible. 

He didn't want to spend his night with the girls this time, though. He was dead tired and wanted nothing but to lie down in his bed and pretend that his life was perfect. He had been on his way the whole day. He had gone from Tina's office to the studio to record a song again, then he had gone home to get Danny and they had barely managed to get to the therapist in time. When they had been finished, Kurt should have gone back to the theater but Danny had started panicking again, so they had spent the rest of the day at home on the couch, watching cartoons and eating fast food, something Kurt rarely let Danny. 

And in the end of the day, when Danny was finally asleep and Kurt had some time for himself, the girls arrived. Kurt made a coffee for himself to be able to stay awake while Mercedes ordered pizza, enough for all of them and the Warblers since Kurt wanted to make sure they had something for dinner.

When their food arrived, Kurt, Mercedes, Rachel and Tina moved upstairs into Kurt's room. Luckily, none of the girls wanted to talk about the stalker and tried to enlighten the mood with stories about Mercedes' new dancers. Kurt found himself enjoying the evening.

"You should have seen them, Kurt" Rachel sighed. "Twenty men in tight pants, without shirt. God, it was pure torture to watch them. I don't know how Mercedes's able to stay so calm between them. I could barely stop myself from getting out of my chair and start touching their abs."

Kurt laughed so hard he could barely breath.

"I'm a professional" Mercedes said.

"Or you had the opportunity to get to know a few of them from close" Tina joked. 

Mercedes's eyes widened and she looked away in embarrassment.

"No way!" Rachel screamed.

"Rachel, be quiet. The others can hear us downstairs and... and Danny's asleep" Mercedes said hastily. 

"You have to tell us the details" Kurt said.

Mercedes felt the heat rushing up to her face and she bit her lip as she looked up.

"Well, his name's Tony..."

"The guy with long hair and big eyes? Oh, you're so lucky" Rachel sighed.

"Shut up, Rachel. I want to hear the details" Tina said.

"There isn't much to say. He asked me to have coffee with him and I said yes" Mercedes said.

"And?" Kurt asked, smiling.

"And he's so cute" Mercedes smiled. "We had coffee together and we talked and went for a walk together. I guess I like him."

"When will you go out together?" Tina asked.

"I don't know... I mean, we didn't talk about it. We changed phone numbers and that's all. I'm not even sure I have time for this with the show coming up" Mercedes said.

"Oh, come on, I'm sure you can make an evening free for him" Tina said.

"She's right. If you like each other, you should get to know each other better. And if he doesn't take the first step, you should do it" Kurt said.

"Shouldn't he be the one who asks me out?" Mercedes asked hesitantly.

"It's the 21th century. Men nowadays like if women take the first step" Rachel said.

"I guess I should call him" Mercedes muttered.

"Absolutely!" Rachel said. "As much as I like our singles nights, I miss being in relationship. We all deserve someone."

Kurt sighed sadly and nodded. Yeah. He felt so alone sometimes, it would have been great to have someone to talk to and sleep together with. He didn't want to be lonely anymore and he was sure that the others felt the same way.

"O-oh" Rachel said, watching Kurt.

"What?" Kurt asked.

"I know this expression. You're totally into someone" Rachel smiled.

"And you try to keep it from us? Not fair" Mercedes said excitedly.

"There's nothing to say, really" Kurt said, looking away.

"I bet it's one of your bodyguards" Rachel said and almost screamed again when Kurt's face turned scarlet. "I knew it!"

"Which one?" Mercedes asked.

Kurt looked at Tina for help. They were supposed to avoid every conversation including his feelings for Blaine, that's why Tina had insisted to call the girls over for the night. He so didn't want to talk about it but Tina didn't help at all. She smiled at him reassuringly and nodded.

"Thanks" Kurt rolled his eyes.

"So who is it?" Rachel asked.

"Blaine" Kurt answered quietly, looking away.

"Which one is Blaine?" Mercedes asked. She hadn't spent enough time with Kurt's bodyguards to learn their names.

"The one that looks like a Greek demigod" Rachel smiled. 

"Huh?" Mercedes asked in confusion.

"Oh, come on. You met him several times. He's with Kurt all the time" Rachel said.

"Oh, that one" Mercedes said, finally putting things together. "He's cute. Congratulations, Kurt."

"There's nothing between us" Kurt sighed. "I mean, I thought there was but..."

Kurt took a deep breath and told the girls everything, except for the night he had shared with Blaine before he started working for him. He told them about having coffee with Blaine several times, about getting out with him and Danny to have pancakes, about the night when they had gone out together into that bar, their duet, their conversations, everything. 

"He was always smiling at me and... I don't know. I felt like there was something more between us" Kurt said and buried his face into his hands. "Oh, my God, I made up the whole thing in my head, didn't I?"

The girls looked at each other, not knowing what to say. From what Kurt told them, they couldn't decide how Blaine felt. Yeah, maybe there was something more between them but maybe it was just because Kurt was falling for him. It was hard to tell.

"Listen, we've all been there" Tina said finally. "I even asked Mike to marry me, nah that was embarrassing. You haven't told him how you feel, so there's nothing to be ashamed of. You will get over him."

"I don't want to be over him" Kurt muttered.

"I'm not telling you to forget him and go out with someone but you should at least consider it" Tina said. "There won't happen anything until he works for you and you can't be sure he would want to try it after that."

"Thanks, Tina. I feel so much better" Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Maybe she didn't use the best words, but she's right" Mercedes said carefully. "Come on, what can you lose?"

Kurt was about to tell them how wrong his last date had gone but he stopped as he looked at Rachel. He didn't want to tell them what had happened that night and Rachel believed that he had a good time with... What was his name? Oh, right. Rich.

"At least you can make him jealous" Rachel said.

"Maybe I will try" Kurt muttered in the end but he was sure he didn't want to date anybody but Blaine in the near future.

~ o ~

All the Warblers were downstairs except for Blaine who didn't let Kurt and Danny out of his sight since the letter. He blamed himself for not being careful enough. It was completely unacceptable, they should have noticed that man and caught him but they had been so stupid, mostly because of him. No matter what he had told Kurt the previous day, he knew that there was something more than friendship between them or at least from his side. Kurt moved him the way nobody else could before and it made Blaine confused. He had never had a real relationship and he had never planned to have one. He had been fine with sleeping with stranger and kicking them out the next day, living without boundaries, without caring about someone. He had been free to do whatever he wanted and he had been fine with that. But then Kurt came into his life and everything became complicated. 

He had made a mistake by letting Kurt too close but it was over now. He realised how careless his emotions had turned him and he couldn't let it happen again. He had to find out how to keep a professional distance from Kurt, at least until this case was over. Blaine smiled at the thought. Yeah, it would only last until they found Kurt's stalker. Once the man was safe again, Blaine would ask him for a date. A real romantic date with candles and flowers and every silly thing Blaine had never tried before.

He walked back to Kurt's room. He had heard Rachel scream in delight before, they surely had a great time. It was good. Kurt deserved some fun. They were quiet this time, they were talking about something Blaine couldn't hear and for a second he considered eavesdropping but then he shook his head and took a step back. He respected Kurt's privacy.

He checked on Danny one more time and then decided to join his friends downstairs and talk to them about their job. He found Wes, David and Jeff in the living room, sitting and chatting quietly. He wasn't surprised that Nick wasn't with them, he was surely still working on the recordings of the cameras to get a better picture of the man who had left the letter the previous day. Nick took his job very seriously, that was why Blaine loved working with him so much. Nick was just the perfect worker, he was glad he hadn't become a lawyer and had joined his team instead.

"Is everything alright?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, everything's clear" Jeff smiled. "What about the girls upstairs? Did you hear the latest gossips?"

Blaine rolled his eyes.

"Don't talk about them like that. They're Kurt's friends" Blaine said.

"Hey, I didn't say anything wrong" Jeff replied. "I'm just jealous, okay? I would totally love to join them."

Wes and David laughed but Blaine remained grim.

"Do I have to remind you why we're here?" Blaine asked. "You should take your job more seriously. All of us should. The mistake we did yesterday was completely unacceptable. That's why we will make a few changes."

"What do you mean?" Wes asked.

"There're no more nights off until we find the stalker" Blaine said.

"What?" David asked in disbelief.

"Blaine, I think you forgot that some of us have families" Wes said.

"I'm aware of that, Wesley" Blaine said. "But we have a job to do and I want you all to take it seriously. You can have a few days off once we're done here. Until then, nobody's allowed to leave unless it's emergency. Am I clear?"

The others nodded in unison. Blaine rarely played the merciless leader but when he did, he was scary.

"Tonight's patrol is Jeff and Nick's responsibility. David, you will go with Danny to school tomorrow. Wes, the house will be yours until the others have rest. Any question?" Blaine asked.

"No..." Jeff started hesitantly.

"Good" Blaine said. "We can't allow any more failures, okay?"

The others nodded again. Blaine didn't say a single word after that, he turned around and went upstairs to check on Kurt and Danny one more time.

"What's gotten into him?" Wes asked when Blaine was out of earshot.

"Something's bothering him" David muttered.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you have no idea" Jeff said. When the others continued to look at him in confusion, the man sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I can't believe you haven't noticed it. Blaine's totally into Kurt."

"What do you mean?" Wes asked.

"Like... romantically?" David asked.

"No, he wants to give him piano lessons" Jeff said sarcastically. "Of course romantically!"

"How do you know that?" Wes asked.

"How do you not know that?" Jeff asked back. "It's so obvious."

"They're getting along pretty well" David muttered.

"That's what I'm talking about. Blaine's gotten all crazy boss on us because he has feelings for Kurt and he's worried about him" Jeff said.

"It makes sense. I mean... They spend a lot of time together, they're interested in the same things..." Wes continued.

"That's right. But sadly, our dear friend doesn't look like he wants to do anything about it and his suppressed feelings make him moody as hell. It's his lucky day, though, I will make sure he doesn't suffer too long" Jeff said and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Wes asked.

"I have to talk to Nick" Jeff said happily.

"Should we let him?" David asked in worry.

"He surely won't do anything stupid" Wes shrugged.

They looked at each other and sighed. If Jeffrey Sterling was involved in something, it could never be good.

~ o ~

Nick suppressed a yawn and turned back to the screen. There was a long night waiting for him and he was already so tired that he could barely stay awake. He volunteered for the night shift, so he could continue his research but he forgot how little sleep he had had the previous night. He would survive, of course, he had had worse, but it didn't mean he wouldn't like to drink a cup of hot and strong coffee...

Out of nowhere, a cup of coffee was placed in front of him, catching him completely by surprise. Nick yelped and almost fell from his chair.

"I see you're busy" Jeff smiled.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Nick gasped.

"I thought you would need a coffee" Jeff shrugged.

Nick blinked in surprise. Sure, sometimes Jeff was nice to him for some reason... and sometimes he wasn't. They had a complicated relationship that had started back in high school. Sometimes they were just friends and sometimes... Well, it was really complicated. It looked like it was time for the next 'not just friends' period from Jeff's side. Or he wanted something else from Nick. It was hard to tell because there was nobody who understood Jeffrey Sterling except for Jeffrey Sterling himself.

"Thanks" Nick said and took the cup into his hand. 

"Have you found anything?" Jeff asked and sat down beside Nick.

"Not yet" Nick said.

The computer in front of them beeped and Jeff sat up straight in interest.

"You have!" he sai excitedly.

"Let's see.. Oh, it's not that" Nick said, somewhat disappointed.

"What is it?" Jeff asked.

"I was running a research on Kurt's former boyfriend" Nick explained. "Here it is. Sebastian Smythe, 28, lawyer, lives in New York."

"Do you know where we can find him?" Jeff asked.

"There're dozens of articles about him" Nick answered as he went through a few pages. "I don't know where he lives but there's this club he visits frequently."

"Excellent!" Jeff said and stood up. "That's exactly what Blaine needs to recognize his feelings for Kurt."

"What do you have in your mind?" Nick asked carefully. 

"Nothing" Jeff said innocently but he couldn't fool Nick. The man knew him too well. "Alright. I want to help Blaine to get together with Kurt."

"Jeff..." Nick started.

"No, no, no. Listen to me" Jeff interrupted. "Blaine's in love with him, I know he is. But he keeps telling himself that it isn't real. He's about to ruin his chance by Kurt, we need to help him!"

"Jeff, Blaine's an adult, he can decide what he wants to do with his life" Nick said. "Besides, you remember Warbler rule 7, right?"

"Yeah, don't date your client" Jeff rolled his eyes. "But it's not a Warbler rule, it's a Jeff rule. It's all because of those damn models. Who knew they would all want me?"

"That fact is, Blaine respects our rules and we have to respect his decision as well" Nick said. "Leave them alone, Jeff."

"But Nicky..."

"No, I'm serious" Nick said.

"I really don't get it. He finally found a man who's perfect for him and he doesn't want anything from him? Why?" Jeff muttered.

"I'm sure he has a good reason" Nick said. "I don't know... maybe he doesn't want to date famous people or men with kids..."

"What's your problem with kids? They're cute" Jeff said.

"Nothing. But maybe Blaine doesn't want a relationship with someone who has already someone more important in his life. Let's face it, if Blaine starts dating Kurt, he has to accept that Kurt has a kid and Blaine would only be on the second place. Not everybody's open for that" Nick explained.

"I have to talk to him" Jeff said.

"No. You have to leave them alone. Promise me" Nick said seriously.

"But I don't want to" Jeff said.

"Jeff."

"Fine" Jeff rolled his eyes. "But you have to do me something in return."

"What is it?" Nick sighed.

"Have breakfast with me" Jeff smiled.

"We always have breakfast together" Nick pointed out.

"Not like that. Just you and me, a lot of coffee and sandwiches. Tomorrow morning" Jeff said.

"What's your plan?" Nick asked carefully.

"Nothing" Jeff said. "Really, Nick. I just enjoy your company and I would like to spend some quality time with you, that's all."

"Quality time" Nick said again.

"Not like that" Jeff smiled. "We're adults, we don't do such things anymore."

"Fine" Nick nodded. "You promise me to leave Blaine and Kurt alone and I promise you to have breakfast with you."

"Tomorrow" Jeff said.

"Tomorrow" Nick repeated.

"It's settled, then" Jeff said and stood up. "I should go back to work. Blaine's really moody nowadays, I don't want him to catch me here."

"You better go" Nick nodded.

"I will come back soon. You know I can't keep myself away from you" Jeff winked but he was forced to leave quickly as Nick grabbed a book from the desk and threw it into his direction. "You're so cruel."

"Don't forget your promise" Nick called after him.

"I won't" Jeff said and shut the door behind him. As he stepped away from the door, a devilish smile appeared on his face. "Too bad I never keep my promises."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I hope you are ready for Sebastian Smythe. Enjoy!  
> Lyrics: Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music  
> Warning: violence

 

Two days later, with a perfect plan in his head, Jeff caught Blaine sitting alone in the room where they had settled the cameras. The man was completely lost in his thoughts, so when Jeff sat down beside him, Blaine jumped and almost fell from his chair.

 

"Damn it, Jeff! Do you want to give me a heart attack?" Blane asked with one of his hands pressed to his chest.

 

"You're awfully jumpy nowadays" Jeff smiled.

 

"I'm just careful. Who knows when Kurt's stalker will come back" Blaine replied.

 

"Sure" Jeff sighed. "So how are you doing this fine evening?"

 

"What do you want, Jeff?" Blaine asked.

 

"Nothing. I just thought you would need someone to talk to. It's gonna be a long night" Jeff said.

 

"I will be fine" Blaine said.

 

"Oh, come on, I know you. You hate patrol nights and being alone. I want to make sure you don't get bored" Jeff said.

 

"What do you have in your mind?" Blaine asked, afraid of what Jeff wanted.

 

"Don't look at me like this. I just want to talk with you, nothing more" Jeff said.

 

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?" Blaine asked but he kept his eyes on the monitor.

 

"I was wondering... How many children would you like?" Jeff smiled.

 

"Excuse me?" Blaine asked, turning towards his friend with wide eyes.

 

"Children, Blaine! You surely have plans for the future. How many children do you want?" Jeff asked.

 

"Where does this question come from? You never asked me such questions before" Blaine frowned. He had no idea what Jeff wanted with this.

 

"Exactly! We're been friends since high school and I don't even know how you imagine your future! We have to do something about it" Jeff said, trying to look innocent.

 

"Alright. So I guess you want to tell me, too. How many children do you want, Jeff?" Blaine asked tiredly.

 

"Thank you for asking. I will have four, preferably two girls and two boys. Me and my amazing husband will live in a huge house where everybody will have an own room and there will be a big garden, so the kids will have enough space to play" Jeff said.

 

"Wow. Surprising from somebody who has never had a proper relationship" Blaine smiled.

 

"I'm working on it" Jeff said. He remembered his date with Nick the previous day and that it had ended with Nick slamming the door into his face. Again. "It's just the matter of time."

 

"Uhu" Blaine nodded knowingly. "I think you should have a plan B in case Nick freaks out from your four kids plan."

 

"Believe me, he will love it" Jeff said. "But enough of me. Your turn."

 

Blaine looked away, thinking. He had no idea why Jeff wanted to know these things, and he didn't know how to answer. He had never planned to have a family, hell, he had just started thinking about a real relationship.

 

"I don't think I will have any" Blaine answered in the end. "I mean... I'm almost thirty. Let's say I find the right guy, we start dating, get married, it would take at least three years. Then we can think about adoption or surrogacy. I think I would adopt a kid because there are so many orphans waiting for parents, but it could take years since I'm gay and it's still hard for men like me to have a child. But I don't know if I would be able to get through so much trouble. I work a lot, I'm barely home, I wouldn't be able to give a kid the attention they need."

 

Jeff blinked in surprise. It wasn't the answer he expected. Sure, Blaine would have to make a few changes in his life if he wanted a family, but it wasn't like he couldn't get another job or work less in his team.

 

"If you want it, you can make it" Jeff said. "Do you think that other parents do it differently? They work just as hard to earn the money that's enough to raise the kids. It's not impossible to do."

 

"Look, it doesn't matter. I don't have a boyfriend and maybe I will never have. I can think about this once I find the right guy" Blaine said.

 

Jeff raised an eyebrow. Blaine acted like he hadn't told Jeff about his feelings for Kurt.

 

"Maybe that time will come soon" Jeff said. "Besides, don't forget the possibility of meeting someone who already has a kid."

 

"Jeff..." Blaine sighed, rubbing his forehead. Finally, he understood why Jeff wanted to talk about family. It was because of Kurt and Danny. "There's nothing between me and Kurt, and it's not because of Danny, okay? I like Kurt, that's right, but you know I can't do anything."

 

"You could" Jeff said. "Nobody cares about those stupid rules. You shouldn't take them too seriously."

 

"It's not that" Blaine admitted.

 

"What is it then? Honestly, Blaine, I don't get it. You seemed to be fine but after the last letter, you've become gruff and moody. What's wrong with you?" Jeff asked.

 

"There's nothing wrong..."

 

"Blaine."

 

Blaine sighed again and shook his head.

 

"Look, I know what I'm doing. I can't be together with Kurt, even if I wanted to, because it would effect our job. Kurt knows that, too, and he's fine with it" Blaine said.

 

"What if he finds somebody else and you lose him? You can't expect him to wait for you when you can't even promise him anything" Jeff said.

 

"I don't expect him to wait for me. If he finds somebody else, I will be happy for him. We're just friends" Blaine shrugged. It was a lie, of course. He didn't want to see Kurt with anybody else. He wanted to be the one who got together with Kurt.

 

"Just friends?" Jeff asked.

 

"Just friends" Blaine said half-heartedly.

 

"Okay" Jeff nodded and stood up. "Oh, there's another thing I want to talk about. I have to go out on Saturday."

 

"Why?" Blaine asked.

 

"Oh, Nick found Kurt's former boyfriend. We don't know his address but he spends his Saturday nights in a fancy gay club and I want to talk with him" Jeff explained.

 

"No. I will do it" Blaine said hastily.

 

"You can stay here, I know you're tired and it's not like I can't do it alone" Jeff said.

 

"No, Jeff. Why would you do it anyway?" Blaine asked.

 

"Danny and Kurt're my friends as well, you know" Jeff said.

 

"It doesn't matter. You can't do it because... because you aren't really good in conversations. I can't let you ruin anything" Blaine said.

 

"Oh, right. How could I forget that?" Jeff asked innocently. "Of course you should do it. I would just end up in his bed if I'm not careful enough. That would be horrible."

 

Blaine blushed at the thought of one night stands. He remembered what he and Kurt had done that night in his apartment and... Okay, it wasn't the time to think about that.

 

"Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. I will talk to Nick and get everything he has about Sebastian" Blaine said.

 

"Alright" Jeff nodded and walked to the door. But before he stepped out, he turned back, smiling. "Uhm, just one more thing. That mysterious guy you fucked before we started working here... It wasn't Kurt, right?"

 

Blaine looked surely like a tomato as he tried not to panic.

 

"No. No, of course not. We met in Tina's office" Blaine answered.

 

"It was just a stupid thought" Jeff smiled and left the room because he couldn't stay serious any longer. His friend might have thought that he was stupid but Jeff knew everything. "You're such an idiot, Blaine. Such an idiot."

 

At least he made sure Blaine went after Sebastian. Kurt would certainly fall for him even more if Blaine showed him how protective he could be of people he cared about.

 

~ o ~

 

It was Saturday evening and Kurt should have enjoyed his free time with Danny, but he couldn't make himself to focus on anything but Blaine. Things had been awkward after their conversation the previous weekend and it got worse with every day. Blaine seemed so distant, he barely spoke to Kurt and they didn't have coffee or lunch together anymore. It seemed like Blaine was angry with him for some reason and didn't to enjoy spending time with Kurt anymore.

 

It made him confused, even after the conversation he had had with the girls. No matter what they had advised him, Kurt couldn't get his bodyguard out of his head. Blaine was such an amazing man, he was perfect for Kurt and the man wasn't sure if he could wait until the end of their work to ask him out.

 

_There's nothing between us._

 

What if Blaine had meant those words? What if he didn't like Kurt at all and he kept distance between them to let Kurt know he wasn't interested? The man took a deep breath and buried his face into his hands. What if he had misunderstood the signs and Blaine really just wanted to be his friend?

 

As Kurt thought about it, it made sense. Blaine had never told him that he wanted anything from him, he had been nice but Blaine could have done the same to his other friends, too. He might have realised how Kurt felt the day when Kurt had told him about his past and now he was acting weird because he didn't know how to tell Kurt to back off.

 

Kurt looked towards the door where Nick was standing, watching them. Blaine had gone out that night, alone, and the thought broke Kurt's heart. He had seen his bodyguard leave and from the way Blaine had been dressed, Kurt could tell that he had a night off and Blaine spent it alone. Probably in a club, with a guy who wanted nothing but sex from him. Kurt almost cried at the thought.

 

"Kurt?"

 

Kurt blinked to clear his vision and looked down at Danny sitting beside him. They had movie night with tons of healthy snacks and limonade Kurt had made for them. They were supposed to watch a movie, Kurt didn't remember what, but the room was completely silent around them and Danny was watching him in concern. The movie must have ended but he didn't notice it.

 

"I'm sorry. I-I zoomed out for a bit" Kurt said.

 

"I've been talking to you for the last five minutes" Danny said.

 

"Really?" Kurt asked in surprise.

 

"Are you alright?" Danny asked in concern.

 

"Yeah. I'm... I guess I'm just tired" Kurt answered.

 

"Why? You didn't have to wake up early today" Danny frowned.

 

"I worked on my book yesterday and I went to sleep late" Kurt explained but he knew he couldn't fool the boy. "I'm sorry. There're some things I can't get out of my head."

 

"Tell me" Danny smiled.

 

Kurt took a deep breath and shook his head. Danny wasn't the right person to talk about his problems. He wouldn't understand. Besides, he wouldn't talk about this in the presence of Blaine's friends.

 

"It's just some adult thing" Kurt said. "But don't worry, I can deal with it."

 

"I don't understand because I'm not an adult?" Danny frowned.

 

"Exactly" Kurt nodded.

 

"Why are adult things always so complicated?" Danny wondered.

 

Kurt laughed and stood up.

 

"I don't know. I wish they would be simpler" he said. "Come on, it's time for you to sleep."

 

"I'm not tired" Danny said, suppressing a yawn. "Can't we watch another movie?"

 

"Tomorrow" Kurt said. "I let you stay awake too long, you need to sleep. But tomorrow, we have to whole day just for ourselves. We can do whatever you want."

 

"Really?" Danny asked excitedly. "Then we can have pancakes with Blaine!"

 

Kurt sighed sadly.

 

"I'm not sure Blaine will join us tomorrow" he said.

 

"Why not?" Danny asked, disappointed.

 

"I don't know when he will get home tonight, I guess he will be tired tomorrow" Kurt explained.

 

"Oh" Danny nodded sadly.

 

"He has his own life, he can't spend every free moment he has with us" Kurt said.

 

"But he likes us" Danny said.

 

"I'm sure he does and I will ask him tomorrow but if he says no, we won't be sad. Okay?" Kurt asked.

 

"Only if you sing me tonight" Danny smiled.

 

"I would have done it anyway" Kurt winked.

 

After Danny had helped Kurt clean up the mess they had made in the living room, they had moved upstairs. Danny got ready for the night and slipped under his comforter. Kurt sat down beside him and ran his fingers through the boy's curls.

 

"What do you want me to sing to you?" Kurt asked.

 

"We should sing together" Danny smiled.

 

"Alright. Which song?" Kurt asked.

 

Danny bit his lip as he went through the songs they usually sang. When he found the right one, he smiled and started singing.

 

_Doe, a deer, a female deer_ _  
__Ray, a drop of golden sun_ __  


Kurt laughed, recognizing the song from the first words. They sang it every week after all. He lay down beside Danny and joined him.

 

_Me, a name I call myself_ __  
_Far, a long long way to run_ __  
_Sew, a needle pulling thread_ __  
_La, a note to follow so_ __  
_Tea, a drink with jam and bread_ _  
_ _That will bring us back to Do, oh oh oh_

 

Danny got out of bed and started jumping around in the room. Kurt sat up again and shook his head as he watched the boy. _  
_

_Doe, a deer, a female deer_  
Ray, a drop of golden sun  
Me, a name I call myself  
Far, a long long way to run  
Sew, a needle pulling thread  
La, a note to follow so  
Tea, a drink with jam and bread  
That will bring us back to  


"Doe!" Danny shouted happily and jumped up one more time before he lay down beside Kurt, panting. "It was amazing!"

 

"Of course" Kurt smiled. "You're my favourite duet partner."

 

"When I will be older, I will get a role in one of your plays and we can sing together!" Danny said.

 

"You want to be an actor?" Kurt asked.

 

"I want to sing and dance on the stage!" Danny said.

 

Kurt smiled and leaned down to kiss Danny's forehead. Maybe he was a little bit partial but Danny clearly got the talent of his father. He would be amazing on the stage.

 

"I can't wait to see you" Kurt said. "But as a future actor, you need to take care of your health and sleep enough."

 

"Okay" Danny sighed.

 

"Good night, honey" Kurt said and stood up to leave. He didn't even reach the door when Danny called after him.

 

"Can't you stay here with me until a fall asleep?" Danny asked quietly. Since the letter, he had been scared of sleeping alone and he had asked Kurt to sleep with him every night. He knew that he shouldn't be afraid, they had five bodyguards after all and he was too old to sleep with Kurt anyway, but it didn't help him deal with the fear.

 

"I hoped you would ask me" Kurt smiled and stepped back to the bed. He lay down and pulled the comforter over them, then he put his arms around Danny. The boy sighed in relief and closed his eyes.

 

Danny fell asleep almost immediately. It was way after his usual bedtime, he was surely tired. But Kurt couldn't sleep, no matter how tired he was. Once he was alone with his thoughts, his fear about what Blaine could do out in the city, alone and in those sexy clothes didn't let him close his eyes for a second.

 

~ o ~

 

Blaine had spent every free minute of his week searching for informations about Sebastian Smythe. Nick had found dozens of articles about the man, so Blaine could learn the basics from them but he had also made his research just in case he could find something interesting. It was enough for him to know that Sebastian came from a rich family and worked for his father's company since he had finished his studies. Sebastian's life was full of scandals and he had gotten into trouble with the authorities several times. Perhaps because of his father's influence and money, he had gotten away with everything, and it made Blaine angry. It seemed like Kurt hadn't been the only victim of that bastard.

 

On Saturday as Blaine got ready for the night, he went through his plan once again. He had never done something like that before but he felt like he had to teach Sebastian a lesson, so he knew how to handle his future boyfriends. And he had a perfect idea how to do it.

 

Blaine wished he could tell Kurt what he was planning. He saw the man when he left and Kurt seemed disappointed that Blaine didn't ask him to join him. Blaine wanted to spend the night with Kurt, he wanted it more than anything but he had to do the right thing to keep Kurt safe. So he left alone, dressed in his best clothes and with perfectly styled hair to fit into the fancy club Sebastian often visited.

 

When Blaine arrived, he couldn't hide his grimance of disgust as he looked around. It was a typical place for rich people, with expensive furniture and bright lights, a selection of drinks Blaine had never tasted and too loud music that made having a conversation almost impossible. Blaine went to the counter and ordered himself a beer. The bartender seemed to be surprised by his choice but Blaine didn't care. Maybe these rich boys only drank coctails but he wasn't one of them and he wouldn't act like one.

 

While he was waiting for his drink, Blaine looked around, searching for that one man he had to find. He couldn't see Sebastian anywhere but probably because he arrived too early, so he leaned back against the counter and kept his eyes on the door.

 

About half an hour later, Sebastian Smythe arrived. Blaine smiled when he saw that he had no company and as Sebastian made his way to the counter, he checked Blaine out. Blaine almost shook his head. It couldn't be that easy.

 

"Hey, gorgeous" Sebastian greeted him and winked as he sat down beside Blaine. "The place's almost full and you're sitting here all alone?"

 

"I guess I'm still waiting for the right person" Blaine smiled. He hoped that he was a good actor because Sebastian truly disgusted him. He had no idea what Kurt had liked in this man. "I'm Blaine."

 

"Sebastian" Sebastian replied and held out his right hand towards Blaine who accepted it immediately.

 

"So, Sebastian, I'm sure none of us would like to spend the night alone and die of boredom, we could help each other out" Blaine said.

 

"Excellent idea" Sebastian grinned.

 

Once Sebastian ordered his drink and bought another beer for Blaine, they left the counter and went to find a table away from the crowd and the loud music. They ended up in the corner and Sebastian sat so close to him that he was almost in his lap. Blaine forced himself not to roll his eyes and tried to seem interested in the other man.

 

He only needed two minutes to find out that Sebastian wanted to have sex with him. He knew because the questions were exactly what he asked from men before bringing them up to his apartment. Nothing personal, just questions that helped decide if the other man worth wasting time for him. Blaine seemed to do it well because Sebastian put an arm around him and his other hand he rested on Blaine's leg started moving upwards.

 

Blaine took a deep breath and fought off the urge to punch Sebastian right there and then. It wasn't the right time for that.

 

"Do you come here often?" he asked.

 

"A few times a week" Sebastian answered. "Although I haven't been here for weeks. I had a training and a conference in Paris."

 

"It sounds interesting" Blaine said. He was almost 100 % sure that Sebastian wasn't Kurt's stalker. He was too high and if he was really out of the city for so long, he couldn't be the one who had left that letter.

 

"It was boring" Sebastian sighed. "But I love Paris, so I agreed to do it."

 

"But now you're back" Blaine said.

 

"Yeah, finally. You're new here, right? I haven't seen you here before" Sebastian said.

 

"Yes. This is my first time. I'm newly single and I came here to forget" Blaine lied.

 

"That's cute" Sebastian said.

 

"What about you? You seem like the type who can get anyone easily" Blaine said.

 

"That's true" Sebastian laughed. "But I'm not the faithful type. I tried it a few years ago but it didn't work out."

 

_Kurt,_ Blaine thought.

 

"What happened?" Blaine asked.

 

"I had enough of the constant whining of the little prick, I kicked him out" Sebastian said.

 

Blaine pressed his lips together in anger. He knew that it wasn't true.

 

"Are you still angry with him?" Blaine asked.

 

"Not at all" Sebastian answered. "The break up made me realise that I'm better alone. Living with somebody else is boring and completely useless. Why would I stick to one person when I can have anybody I want?"

 

Blaine looked into Sebastian's eyes. He seemed honest and it affirmed Blaine's guess.

 

"You know, it's really hot in here. Don't we want to get out for a while?" Blaine asked slowly.

 

"Perfect idea" Sebastian smiled and emptied his glass with one gulp, ready to leave.

 

Blaine grabbed Sebastian's hand and led him out of the club. He had seen a perfectly deserted alley on his way to the club and he decided it was the best place to finish his night with Sebastian. He led Sebastian to the end of the alley and wasn't surprised when the man tried to grab his shoulders and kiss him. Blaine smiled viciously and slammed Sebastian to the wall.

 

"You like it roughly, I see. Me too" Sebastian smiled, still not understanding what was going on.

 

Sebastian stayed still and unsuspecting, so the blow caught him completely off guard. Blaine put every strength he had into that movement, hitting the other man hard in his face. Sebastian groaned and fell to the ground.

 

"What the hell are you doing?" Sebastian shouted. He held one hand to his face and Blaine could see that his nose was bleeding. Good.

 

"Teach you a lesson, you abusive asshole" Blaine replied and hit Sebastian again.

 

They ended up on the ground, Sebastian was lying on his back and Blaine kneeling over him. He hit Sebastian several times, on his stomach, between his ribs, one more time on his face. Sebastian wasn't strong enough to fight the bodyguard off, nobody would have been. Blaine kept remembering the night when Kurt had told him everything, his tears, his pain, how upset Kurt had been. Blaine wanted to kill this bastard for hurting Kurt, he needed all of his willpower to stop and step away from Sebastian.

 

"You will pay for this" Sebastian hissed and tried to sit up but he fell back to the ground. "I'm a lawyer. I will find you and..."

 

"You won't do such a thing" Blaine cut in. "I know everything about you, Sebastian. You might have gotten away from the law so far but I have proof that you abused several former boyfriends of yours. If you try anything, I will send everything to the police and you will end up in prison before you can blink."

 

It was a bluff, Blaine only suspected that Sebastian had hurt others, too, but it seemed to work. Sebastian turned pale and he nodded with wide eyes.

 

"Good" Blaine said. "Oh, and one more thing. I will keep an eye on you and if you try to hurt anybody again, I will find you and you won't get away with that so easily. Got it?"

 

"Ye-yes" Sebastian stuttered.

 

"Great" Blaine said and turned to leave. He was close to continue hitting Sebastian, so he had to get away before he could do something stupid.

 

~ o ~

 

When Blaine got back to Kurt's house that night, he expected him and Danny to be asleep. The house was quiet except for the camera room and the living room, Blaine thought that he would only find a few of his friends awake.

 

But he was wrong.

 

As he stepped into the living room, he found Kurt sitting on the couch, half asleep. He had a mug in his hands and rested his head on his chest with closed eyes but when he heard Blaine's footsteps, he looked up instantly.

 

"Hey" Kurt greeted him quietly. He seemed so tired, his eyes were puffy and red. Was he crying?

 

"Hey" Blaine said. "Was everything alright while I was gone?"

 

"Yeah. You didn't lose anything" Kurt answered. "Did you have a good time?"

 

"Oh, yes" Blaine answered, thinking about Sebastian.

 

"Oh. I-I understand" Kurt said and stood up hastily. "I have to check on Danny and go to sleep, so if you don't mind..."

 

As Kurt walked to the stairs and got closer to Blaine at the same time, he noticed the dark patches on his white shirt. His eyes widened when he realised what they were. Blood. And there was more on Blaine's hand.

 

"Oh, my God! What happened to you?" Kurt gasped and grabbed Blaine's hand. "Are you hurt? Should I call the ambulance?"

 

"No, no, Kurt, I'm not hurt" Blaine said hastily, seeing the desperation in Kurt's eyes. "I'm perfectly fine. It's not my blood."

 

"Whose blood is it then?" Kurt asked and checked Blaine's hand just to be sure. "I-I will get you an ice pack for this."

 

Blaine wanted to tell Kurt that he was fine again but the man rushed out of the room before he could open his mouth to talk. He looked down at his right hand, grimancing. It was covered in blood, he had a few small scratches on it and it was slightly swollen. Nothing severe, it should be healed for the next day but Kurt surely didn't know that. When he came back a minute later, he grabbed Blaine's hand, led him to the couch and pressed the ice pack to his injured hand.

 

"Are you sure you don't need a doctor?" Kurt asked in concern.

 

"Kurt, I'm fine. Really. Stop worrying" Blaine smiled.

 

Kurt sighed and shook his head.

 

"What happened?" Kurt asked.

 

"I... Let's say I had a misunderstanding with someone" Blaine said. He didn't want to tell Kurt what he had done. Kurt hated violence, even if it was about his former abuser.

 

"So you decided to beat him up? Blaine, violence is never a solution" Kurt gasped.

 

"Believe me, he deserved it. He's abusive and violent, he has hurt so many innocents, it was time to show him the error in his ways" Blaine replied.

 

Kurt looked away. He had too much experience of how dangerous this kind of men could be. He would have been glad to have someone like Blaine to defend him back then.

 

"I guess it's understandable then" Kurt nodded. "I'm glad you didn't get hurt."

 

"I'm a bodyguard, Kurt. I can take care of myself" Blaine smiled. "Anyway, why are you still awake?"

 

Kurt turned scarlet in a second.

 

"I... Danny would like you to join us tomorrow for breakfast. I mean, I would like you to come, too, but it was his idea. You know, he really liked that place the last time and want to eat pancakes and-and you would certainly sleep and it was a stupid idea to ask but..."

 

"Hey" Blaine pressed his index finger to Kurt's lips to stop his babbling. "I would like to go with you. I will be on duty, though, but I will be there."

 

"Isn't Sunday your day off?" Kurt asked.

 

"I don't have a day off, none of us has. At least not until we catch your stalker" Blaine admitted.

 

"Are you serious?" Kurt asked.

 

"It's not a big deal, it comes with our job" Blaine tried to come up with a good explanation. "We do it all the time when our clients are endangered."

 

"Oh" Kurt muttered. "I'm sorry."

 

Blaine tried to look into Kurt's eyes to make sure he was serious. Because Kurt couldn't think it was his fault that that man was stalking him, right?

 

"Kurt, look at me" Blaine said and touched Kurt's face gently. Kurt raised his head to look at Blaine. "This is not your fault. That man didn't choose you because you did something wrong, not at all. He's sick and he thinks if he keeps bothering you, he can change you."

 

"But why?" Kurt asked tiredly.

 

"I don't know" Blaine shrugged. "I've seen a few similar cases but I can't tell you the reasons. Your stalker is crazy like the others, I'm not sure he knows what exactly he wants from you, so don't try to understand him. But there's one thing you can do: don't let him get what he wants. Don't let him scare you, don't let him change you. Live your life like nothing happened and show him that no matter what he tries, he can't touch you."

 

Kurt smiled at Blaine and threw his arms around him.

 

"Thank you" he said.

 

"I'm always here if you want to talk about it" Blaine said.

 

Kurt nodded gladly and tried to suppress a yawn.

 

"You should go to sleep" Blaine said quietly.

 

"Yeah, I guess you're right" Kurt said. "You can find some painkillers in the kitchen if you need them."

 

"Thank you, Kurt. Good night" Blaine said and was almost as surprised as Kurt when he grabbed Kurt's hand and brought it to his lips to press a kiss onto his knuckles. Kurt blushed again and looked down, biting his lip.

 

"Good night, Blaine" he said and finally turned towards the stairs.

 

Kurt looked back at Blaine one more time before he disappeared upstairs, then he checked on Danny really quickly and went into his own room. Once the door was closed behind him, he leaned against it and smiled, running his fingers down his hand where Blaine's lips had touched his skin.

 

He couldn't wait for the next day to see Blaine again. Even if he had to work...

 

Wait. If Blaine didn't have a day off anymore, it meant that he hadn't gone out to have fun that night. But where had he been then?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter, enjoy!

 

_ Local lawyer attacked at gay bar _

 

_Sebastian Smythe, son of Steven Smythe and heir of the Smythe Groups was found beaten up behind the famous gay bar Why Not yesterday night. The well-known lawyer was crambling out of the alley when two other customers found him and called the ambulance immediately._

 

_S_ _mythe_ _was brought to hospital but he left a few hours later at his own risk. An anonymous source told us that S_ _mythe_ _was mugged and suffered minor injuries. We asked the lawyer's family about the attack but they didn't want to comment the incident. As we know, S_ _mythe_ _didn't see his attacker's face and doesn't plan to prosecute them._

 

~ o ~

 

Kurt's phone beeped again but he didn't pay attention. He just finished the article Tina had sent him earlier that morning and he couldn't tear his gaze away from the screen. It wasn't hard to make connection between Sebastian's mysterious attack and Blaine's injuries from the previous night, his conversation with the man had only made his assumption stronger. No matter what the article said, it had to be Blaine. The bodyguard was surely clever enough to get away with it.

 

Kurt sighed and went through the comments. Sebastian wasn't too popular, most of the commenters were happy for his attack. Kurt couldn't blame them. Sebastian was an awful person, he truly deserved it.

 

Kurt stopped as the thought ran through his mind and he pushed himself away from the screen. He hated Sebastian for everything he had done to him and Danny but he still shouldn't have felt this way. He hated violence and believed that it was never a solution. Why couldn't he hate Blaine for the incident then and why was he smiling as he thought about Sebastian's attack?

 

Kurt rubbed his eyes and tried to clear his mind from his awful thoughts but he just couldn't do it. He closed his eyes and imagined Blaine in his oh so sexy clothes from the previous night, as he cornered Sebastian in the dark alley and beat him up, telling him that it was his punishment for his sins in the past.

 

When Kurt reached this point of his daydream, he realised that he was totally turned on. He licked his lips and looked around carefully. He was alone in his room, it wasn't like somebody could see what he was doing...

 

With a quick decision, he pushed the laptop away and fled into his bathroom. He locked the door behind him just to make sure nobody could find him in an awkward situation and got out of his clothes. He stepped under the hot water and pressed his back to the wall. He watched as the water ran down his chest and then he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, as he ran his fingers down his body and wrapped them around his cock.

 

He pressed his lips together to not make any noise as he moved his hand up and down his hard-on while imagining that his hot bodyguard was there with him, kneeling in the shower in soaked clothes, with his lips around Kurt's cock. It didn't take him more than a few minutes to come, his orgasm hitting him so hard that he couldn't stand on his shaky feet and slid down into the bathtub, laughing. It was a very good way to start the day.

 

~ o ~

 

Half an hour later, after getting dressed and styling his hair, Kurt left his room and went downstairs. He found Wes and David in the living room, whispering something to each other but they fell silent the second they spotted Kurt.

 

"Good morning, guys" Kurt greeted them with a huge smile on his face.

 

"Morning, Kurt" David said.

 

"Danny's in the kitchen" Wes said.

 

"And Blaine's with him if you're searching for him" David winked.

 

Kurt blushed and looked from one man to the other with wide eyes. Did they know what had happened the previous night? No, Blaine surely didn't tell them what he had done, he wasn't like that. Or was he?

 

"Thanks, guys" Kurt said hastily and decided to find the others.

 

True to Wes and David's words, Danny and Blaine were sitting in the kitchen, chatting. Kurt greeted them and went to Danny to press a kiss to the boy's forehead, then turned towards Blaine. Unable to shut out his memories from earlier that day, Kurt blushed again as his eyes met Blaine's.

 

"Would you like some coffee?" Blaine asked.

 

"Yeah, that would be great" Kurt answered and sat down beside Danny, trying to clear his head. It was hard, though. He couldn't stop staring at Blaine's back dreamily as he remembered the article he had read that morning.

 

"We're going to eat cronuts and go to the Central Park today" Danny said excitedly.

 

"Uhm... We talked about your plans for today and Danny told me that he hadn't tried cronuts before, so we thought..."

 

"It's fine" Kurt interrupted Blaine. "The weather is perfect for a walk and although I have no idea what cronut is, I'm willing to try it."

 

"You've never eaten cronuts? Kurt, it's the best thing in New York!" Blaine gasped dramatically.

 

"I'm sure it is" Kurt nodded. "How's your hand?"

 

Blaine raised his hand, smiling.

 

"I'm fine" he said. "Thanks to you and your ice pack."

 

"What happened to your hand?" Danny asked.

 

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other, not knowing what to tell the boy. They couldn't exactly tell him that Blaine had beaten Sebastian up, Blaine didn't even know that Kurt had read the article.

 

"He fell" Kurt said.

 

"I dropped a book onto it" Blaine said at the same time.

 

They looked at each other with wide eyes, then back at Danny who seemed confused.

 

"I mean... I fell and accidentally dropped a book onto my hand" Blaine corrected his lie.

 

"Yeah, that happened" Kurt nodded.

 

"How could you drop a book onto your _hand_?" Danny asked, not really believing the adults.

 

"I have no idea" Blaine said slowly. "Uhm... Shouldn't you get dressed?"

 

"Blaine's right, go upstairs and get ready. We should leave soon" Kurt said.

 

Danny stayed at his place, watching the two men for a long minute but then nodded and stood up. Once he left the kitchen, both Kurt and Blaine sighed in relief.

 

"Huh. He's clever" Blaine said.

 

"Tell me about it" Kurt smiled. "Are you really alright?"

 

"Yeah. It was just a fight. I do it all the time" Blaine shrugged.

 

"A fight" Kurt repeated.

 

"Just a small disagreement" Blaine said as he lowered his gaze. He hated lying to Kurt.

 

"Of course" Kurt nodded. After a second of hesitation, he stood up and went to Blaine, hugging the man.

 

"Uhm... Is everything alright?" Blaine asked in concern.

 

"Yeah. I just want to thank you for... handling that disagreement so well. I appreciate it" Kurt said. Before he could stop himself, he pressed a kiss onto Blaine's cheek and then pulled away from the man, grabbed his mug and left the kitchen, afraid of what Blaine would say.

 

"You're welcome" Blaine whispered once he was left alone. The kiss caught him by surprise and he didn't even realise that Kurt knew what he had done.

 

~ o ~

 

Kurt was sitting on a bench with another coffee in his hands, watching Danny. After having three cronuts, full of sugar, Danny went from energetic to hyperactive. He couldn't sit or even stand still, so they let him discover the park while Kurt and Blaine watched him. There was an awkward silence between them again and Kurt tried to find something to talk about. But what could it be? All he could think about was the article he had read in the morning but Blaine made it clear that he didn't want Kurt to know the truth.

 

"Kurt! Kurt! Look what I've found!" Danny shouted excitedly as he ran to the man. There was something in his hand. "Can I keep it?"

 

"What is it..." Danny raised his hand and showed Kurt the bright green worm in hand. The man yelped and leaned back on the bench. "Danny, where have you found it?"

 

"It was sitting on that tree" Danny pointed behind his back. "Can we bring it home? Cat's lonely, I want to get him a friend."

 

"Absolutely not" Kurt answered.

 

"Why not?" Danny asked disappointedly.

 

Kurt imagined what horrible creatures could turn out of that wirm and shook his head without hesitation.

 

"Danny, it's a worm, a dirty, disgust-"

 

"Worms don't really like spiders" Blaine cut in. "You know, because... they could end up as dinner."

 

Kurt turned towards Blaine with wide eyes. He didn't want Danny to be afraid of Cat but Blaine wasn't helping at all.

 

"Cat would eat the worm? But why?" Danny asked.

 

"Because..."

 

"Because Cat doesn't know the difference between food and worms" Kurt said hastily.

 

"I guess we shouldn't take it home then" Danny said.

 

"Why don't you bring it back to where you found it?" Kurt asked.

 

Danny nodded and turned around to walk back to the tree. Once he was far enough, Kurt stood up and stepped right beside Blaine.

 

"You can't say things like this to him. Do you want to scare him?" Kurt whispered.

 

"Wait. He has a spider and he doesn't even know how Cat feeds?" Blaine asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

"Of course not! I feed Cat when Danny's in the bathroom" Kurt answered. "Do you know how Cat feeds? It's horrible!"

 

"It's part of having a pet" Blaine shrugged.

 

"He would be scared of Cat, I can't let it happen" Kurt said. He saw what Cat did to insects. It was worse than a horror movie.

 

"I would tell my kid if I were you" Blaine said.

 

"Oh, Mr Anderson. I didn't know you were an expert of kids" Kurt rolled his eyes. "You surely have a lot experience."

 

"I don't but I know how I will raise my children in the future" Blaine smiled.

 

"Please, do me a favour. Once you become a father, call me. I want to be there when you realise it's not as easy as it seems" Kurt said.

 

"We will see about that" Blaine winked.

 

"I put the worm back onto the tree and gave her a leaf, so she won't be hungry" Danny said as he walked back to them.

 

"She?" Kurt asked.

 

"It looks like Mrs Williams, so I think it's a girl" Danny answered seriously.

 

Blaine turned his head, so the others couldn't see that he was laughing. Kurt seemed to take it better but he couldn't hide his smile either.

 

"Please, don't tell Mrs Williams about it, okay?" Kurt said.

 

"Okay!" Danny smiled.

 

Kurt's phone started ringing and he pulled it out from his pocket. He checked the caller and grimanced.

 

"I'm sorry, I have to take this" he said and walked away from the others as he answered the call. "Jeremy? So you're back... No, it's fine... Are you sure? It's Sunday and I'm with Danny in the... Okay. I will be there."

 

He disconnected the call and took a deep breath before he turned around. Danny would so hate him for this.

 

"Bad news. It was Jeremy from the record company... There's something wrong with my last song and we have to record it again... Today" he said.

 

"You can't leave right now! It's our day!" Danny said.

 

"I know, honey, and I'm so sorry but I have to go" Kurt said.

 

"Couldn't we go with you?" Blaine offered, trying to find a solution.

 

"Yes! I want to hear you sing!" Danny said excitedly.

 

"Well, I don't think they would mind..." Kurt said hesitantly.

 

"Yes!" Danny shouted.

 

"I will call Wes and let him know where we will be" Blaine said as he guided Kurt and Danny towards the car. "And ask him to send David after us."

 

"We will be fine, Blaine" Kurt said. "Let them be. We will be safe with you. I don't think my stalker would try to break into a building full of guards."

 

Blaine didn't like it but Kurt was right. He had seen the place before, it was perfectly guarded.

 

"Okay. Let's go."

 

~ o ~

 

On the 17th floor of the company, there was a blond guy waiting for them in the studio. When he heard the door open, he stood up from his chair and turned around to greet them. Blaine blinked in surprise. The man looked like a model, he was tall, his skin was flawless and he had bright blue eyes and long, blond hair.

 

"Kurt! I'm so glad you could make it" the guy said and stepped to them. To Blaine's disbelief, he hugged Kurt and kissed him on his cheeks.

 

"Hey, Jeremy" Kurt smiled at him. "I had to bring Danny with me, I hope you don't mind."

 

"Not at all" Jeremy said and smiled at Danny, showing his perfect white teeth. "So you're Danny. I'm glad I finally meet you."

 

Danny gulped nervously and hid behind Kurt.

 

"Danny, he's a friend, you don't have to be afraid of him" Kurt whispered.

 

"That's right" Jeremy nodded. "Oh, he's so cute. And beautiful, just like his father."

 

Blaine glared at the man. Was he seriously complimenting Kurt?

 

"Are you gonna tell us why you had to destroy our day and drag Kurt here or you want to keep it to yourself?" Blaine asked impatiently. Jeremy's smile disappeared when he finally noticed him.

 

"Oh. And who are you?" Jeremy asked.

 

"Jeremy, this is Blaine, my..."

 

"I'm a friend of Kurt's" Blaine interrupted.

 

Jeremy eyed him catiously for a second before a smile appeared on his face. God, Blaine already hated him.

 

"You must be Danny's babysitter!" Jeremy said happily.

 

"I'm not" Blaine growled, fighting off the urge to punch the man.

 

"You don't have to be ashamed" Jeremy said. "It's the 21th century, it's completely fine to..."

 

"He's my friend, Jeremy" Kurt said. "You said that there was something wrong with my song."

 

"That's right!" Jeremy said and walked back to the computer. "Don't get me wrong, I love it but one of the directors wasn't satisfied with it. He said that it's not emotional enough, so we have to record it again. I'm sorry for dragging you here but it's an emergency."

 

"I understand" Kurt nodded.

 

"Where's the guy Kurt works with?" Blaine frowned. He had been there with Kurt several times but he had never seen Jeremy. Kurt always worked with others.

 

"Joe's my assistant" Jeremy explained. "I was on a work trip, getting new singers for the company, but I'm finally back, so I can do the job again."

 

"I always work with Jeremy" Kurt nodded.

 

"Since his first song" Jeremy smiled at Kurt. "It's my father's company and I like keeping an eye on our most talented singers."

 

_Asshole._

 

"Alright. Let's get over with it" Kurt sighed and walked to the door. "Blaine, you could sit down back there until we do this."

 

"I think we're fine here" Blaine said with a forced smile. "I mean, Danny wants to see his dad sing, so..."

 

"Sure!" Jeremy said. "Come here, Danny, you can sit beside me."

 

Danny stepped closer hesitantly, choosing the farthest seat. Blaine sat down beside him and put an arm around the boy. Jeremy could do anything, Danny liked Blaine better, and it meant that he had no chance with Kurt. Because Blaine wasn't stupid, he knew that the guy was into Kurt.

 

"Okay, Kurt. Close your eyes, imagine that you're with the man you love. Imagine that you lean to his ear and confess your feelings for the first time" Jeremy said into the microphone. "Tell me when you're ready."

 

Blaine wanter to throw up, preferably onto Jeremy's expensive shoes.

 

"I'm ready" Kurt said after a second.

 

"Okay... I started the song" Jeremy said and leaned back on his chair.

 

Blaine watched Kurt as he moved from side to side, waiting for his part. When he started singing, he opened his eyes and looked straight at Blaine.

 

_When I first saw you, I knew we were meant to be..._

 

Blaine smiled as he watched Kurt through the glass. His voice was perfect, but Kurt was always perfect, it wasn't new for him. And the way he danced to the rhythm of the song... It was breathtaking. Blaine wanted to join him, put his arms around his waist and pull the man close enough to feel his heartbeat.

 

"It wasn't bad but you can do it better" Jeremy said suddenly.

 

Blaine turned towards him in disbelief. Was he out of his mind? Kurt was perfect!

 

"Okay, let's do it again" Kurt said patiently.

 

Kurt kept his eyes on him as he sang his song again. And again. And again. It turned out that nothing was good enough for Jeremy. They spent hours in the studio and it didn't seem like they were getting home anytime soon.

 

"I'm hungry" Danny said after a while.

 

Kurt checked the time on his phone and was horrified when he saw that it was almost evening.

 

"I'm sorry, honey. I... Can we have a break?" Kurt asked as he turned to Jeremy.

 

"We can but we're almost finished" Jeremy said.

 

Kurt bit his lip, looking from Danny to Jeremy, and then at Blaine.

 

"Blaine, could you go out with Danny and grab something to eat?" he asked as he walked to the man and pulled out his wallet. "There's a small restaurant on the corner, their food's amazing."

 

"Should we bring something for you, too?" Blaine asked. He didn't like the idea at all but he knew Kurt. He wouldn't leave his work until he was finished with it.

 

"Just a coffee" Kurt answered.

 

"Are you sure? You haven't had anything since..."

 

"I can't eat while I sing anyway" Kurt shrugged. "Go, Blaine. I will be fine."

 

"Okay" Blaine said quietly. He shot one last hateful glare towards Jeremy who seemed to love the opportunity to be left alone with Kurt, grabbed Danny's hand and led him out of the studio.

 

Kurt leaned closer to the window and watched them until they disappeared in the elevator. Then he turned back to Jeremy and took a deep breath.

 

"Which part do I have to sing?" he asked. He was tired as hell and didn't understand why they had to work on this one song so much.

 

"You don't have to sing anything, the last two were perfect" Jeremy said. "I just wanted to be alone with you."

 

Kurt gulped nervously, eyeing the door. He was all alone with Jeremy who was a nice guy but he could as well be his stalker, too. Jeremy must have seen his worry because he smiled at him and stepped closer to Kurt.

 

"Relax, Kurt, you're safe with me" Jeremy said. "Something's wrong, right?"

 

"Look, I don't really want to talk about it" Kurt said.

 

"I'm your friend. You can tell me everything" Jeremy said. "I knew the moment you stepped through that door. You're scared of something... or someone."

 

Kurt took a deep breath and nodded.

 

"Is Blaine your bodyguard?" Jeremy asked.

 

"How do you know that?" Kurt asked with wide eyes, his fear rising again.

 

"I notice them from anywhere" Jeremy shrugged. "I had one, too. Last year, before the merger. My father got disturbing letters and he hired me a bodyguard to keep me safe. I remember how awful it was. I couldn't be alone for a second, I couldn't act naturally because it felt like being watched all the time. And there was the treat, of course. Having a bodyguard just made it more realistic that I might be in danger."

 

"It's hard sometimes" Kurt agreed. He liked the Warblers but he missed those times when he could walk into his living room without finding someone there.

 

"How does Danny take it? It must be even harder for him" Jeremy said.

 

"He's doing well" Kurt answered. "He's a strong kid, stronger than anyone else I know. I still try to keep him away from this as much as I can. I don't want to ruin his childhood with some stupid letters."

 

"Come here" Jeremy said and led Kurt to the couch. They sat down, Jeremy grabbed Kurt's hand and leaned closer to him. "Kurt, you shouldn't feel bad because of the letters, you haven't done anything wrong. This man... he admires you and your talent, even if he expresses his feelings the wrong way."

 

"You mean he makes my life a living hell" Kurt whispered. "But it's not just that. Some of those letters show that he has feelings for me."

 

"Oh" Jeremy said in surprise.

 

"Yeah. That's the scariest in the whole thing. We don't even know each other and he thinks he has a say in my life. I just want him to leave me alone" Kurt said in frustration.

 

"He might be somebody you know" Jeremy said quietly.

 

Kurt nodded slowly. He had considered that option before but he trusted his friends, he knew that none of them would do this to him.

 

"I wish I knew who it is and why he's doing this to me but all we have is a dark picture of a man in baseball cap" Kurt said. "The police doesn't do anything, I only have that picture because Blaine insisted to set up a camera system."

 

"He's a clever man" Jeremy smiled.

 

"He is. And he's a good bodyguard, too. He keeps us safe" Kurt smiled.

 

"I'm glad you have someone to take care of your safety" Jeremy said and squeezed Kurt's hand. "But if it isn't enough and you need someone to talk about your feelings, I'm just a phone call away."

 

"Thank you" Kurt said honestly.

 

"I know the timing isn't perfect but I... I wanted to ask you if you would like to go out with me someday. You know, to celebrate our success and get to know each other better" Jeremy said hesitantly.

 

"Oh" Kurt muttered with wide eyes. He took a deep breath and pulled his hand back, pulling away as much as possible. "Look, Jeremy, you're a great guy but..."

 

"I understand" Jeremy said. "You're under a lot of pressure, I should have known that you would say no. It's fine."

 

"I'm sorry" Kurt replied.

 

"It's fine, really" Jeremy said again. He looked out through the window and waved towards Blaine and Danny who were standing in front of the room with take away boxes in their hands. "You should go, your son's waiting for you."

 

"Right" Kurt nodded and stood up. He turned to leave but Jeremy grabbed his hand again.

 

"I meant what I said" Jeremy said and put his arms around Kurt. "If you need someone who understands what you're going through, call me."

 

"I will. I promise" Kurt whispered.

 

~ o ~

 

Blaine was practically boiling with anger. They were back in the house, the others were watching some stupid TV show but he didn't want to join them. Back in the studio, he had found Kurt with Jeremy on the couch, the bastard had held Kurt's hand and from his body language, Blaine could tell that he had been flirting with Kurt. He had tried to ask him out, maybe Kurt had even said yes. It didn't help that after that, they had lunch together in Jeremy's office that was bigger than Blaine's whole apartment, with expensive leather furniture and paintings all over the walls. Jeremy had continued paying compliments, from his style and the fact that Kurt couldn't stop blushing Blaine had almost vomited onto the white carpet.

 

But it was finally over, they were back in the house and Blaine could have had his peace. But he was too stubborn and hurt to shut his thoughts about Jeremy out of his head. He ended up in the camera room and he had used the last thirty minutes to find out everything about Jeremy. It just made him angrier than before. That asshole was the heir of the Carter Entertainments, he had a fancy diplom he had gotten at a fancy university, a fancy house and fancy cars, and he looked like a freaking model and Blaine hated him so much.

 

"What are you doing here?" Jeff asked as he joined him. He looked at the screen and frowned when he saw Jeremy's picture. "Another possible stalker?"

 

"No. He's Mr Perfection" Blaine spat.

 

"What has the poor guy done to you?" Jeff smiled.

 

"He's the heir of the Carter Entertainments" Blaine answered.

 

"So you ran into Mr Sexy in the studio?" Jeff asked in amusement.

 

"Sexy? Oh, come on, just look at him. He looks like he used too much self tanning cream and washed his hair in bleach" Blaine said.

 

"Hello" Jeff said, pointing at himself.

 

"You know I don't mean like that" Blaine sighed.

 

"I know. And I know that Jeremy Carter only bothers you because you're scared that he would take Kurt away from you" Jeff said.

 

"You think I'm jealous? Come on" Blaine rolled his eyes. Honestly, Jeff was right. He was jealous, so, so jealous.

 

"Well, good thing that Kurt likes you. You only have to ask him out and the man's yours" Jeff shrugged.

 

"You know that I can't do that" Blaine replied.

 

"Why not, Blaine? What would happen? Are you afraid that the boss would kick you out... Wait, _you_ are the boss. You can cause as much trouble as you want and get away with it" Jeff reasoned.

 

"I can't do it. If I start a relationship with Kurt, it would affect my job. It would be too dangerous" Blaine said.

 

"What would happen?" Jeff asked in frustration. He just wanted to see his friend happy. Was it too much to ask for?

 

"What the hell..." Blaine muttered as he leaned closer to the screen.

 

"Blaine, I was..."

 

"Shut up, Jeff! Look at this" Blaine said and zoomed onto the car that had just stopped in front of Kurt's house, behind the bushes. "It's him!"

 

Blaine and Jeff practically broke the door to the living room open, alerting the others.

 

"The stalker's here" Blaine said hastily. "Jeff, Nick, stay here. Wes, David, back door. The front door's mine. Hurry!"

 

In the next second, they heard a loud thud and it seemed like the window of the kitchen was shattered.

 

"Jeff, Nick, bring them upstairs" Blaine ordered but didn't stay behind to see if they did what he said. He trusted his friends and he had to catch the stalker. He pulled out the gun he held in his belt and stepped to the kitchen's door, ready for everything.

 

~ o ~

 

Kurt had no idea what was going on. They were sitting in the living room with Danny and in the next moment, everybody was there, Blaine was shouting orders. There was a loud crash and he saw Nick lift Danny up into his arms and ran with him upstairs, he felt Jeff's strong grip on his arm as he dragged him towards the stairs, too, and he saw a gun in Blaine's hand. Something was very wrong.

 

The next thing he knew, he was sitting in the corner of Danny's room, away from the window and the door, and he was holding Danny in his arms. The boy was shaking with fear and he was whispering calming words into his ear, while Jeff and Nick were standing motionless at the window and at the door.

 

For some time that could have been minutes or hours, nothing happened. It seemed like everything stopped around him, the whole house seemed quiet and the only noise he heard was the soft crying of Danny.

 

And then, finally, he heard Blaine's voice from the other side of the door. Nick and Jeff relaxed immediately and Kurt let out a shaky breath he didn't know he was holding. Jeff opened the door and Blaine stepped inside. Luckily, his gun was gone. It was scary enough for Kurt to see it, he didn't want Danny to be more frightened. But there was something else in Blaine's hands, as he stepped closer, Kurt could see that it was a brick.

 

"He broke the window in the kitchen" Blaine said quietly. "He left... he left something again. You should see it."

 

Kurt gulped nervously and stood up. It was hard with Danny clinging into him but he managed to stand up with the boy in his arms. He walked to the bed and sat back down, so he had a free hand to take an envelop from Blaine that was tied to the brick. With a shaky hand, he opened the envelop and pulled out three photos. He only saw the first one, it made his whole body shake so hard that he almost dropped Danny. It had been taken of him, Danny and Blaine in the Central Park earlier that day.

 

"He was there" Kurt whispered.

 

"I know" Blaine said. "He ran away again but we have the numbers from the registration plate and the type of the car. We will catch him this time."

 

"Why is he doing this?" Kurt muttered to himself.

 

Blaine looked at his friends and he made a quick decision.

 

"Leave us alone for a few minutes" he said. "Call the police and tell them everything."

 

Jeff nodded and grabbed Nick's hand, pulling the hesitating man out of the room. Once the door was closed behind them, Blaine stepped to the bed. With gentle movements, he pulled Danny's arms away from Kurt and pulled the boy into his lap. He kept an arm around the boy and with his other arm, he pulled Kurt closer and kissed his forehead. They were both shaking and crying quietly and Blaine desperately tried to help them. He loved Kurt and his son and it broke his heart to see them in this state.

 

"Look at me" he said after a minute. "Both of you."

 

Kurt looked at him immediately. Danny tightened his arms around Blaine, scared that if he let go of him, something horrible would happen. But when Kurt put his shaky hand on his shoulder and squeezed it, Danny finally opened his eyes and looked at Blaine.

 

"Very good" Blaine smiled. "I'm sorry that you have to go through this. I know how horrible it is when you can't feel safe in your own home but no matter what he does, I will never let him hurt you. I will always keep you safe, okay?"

 

"I'm scared" Danny whispered, his large brown eyes full of tears.

 

"I understand" Blaine nodded. "He's a bad guy but you know, the good guys always catch them."

 

"This-this is just..." Kurt pressed his hand to his lips to suppress a sob. He had to stay calm for Danny's sake but it was hard when there was a crazy man outside who wanted to hurt them.

 

"Come here" Blaine said and tightened his arm around Kurt.

 

Kurt leaned his head onto Blaine's shoulder and hugged Danny. The boy grabbed Kurt's arm with one hand but kept his free arm around Blaine and pressed his head to the man's chest.

 

"It will be alright" Blaine said reassuringly.

 

As he was sitting there, with Kurt and Danny in his arms, he closed his eyes and swore that he wouldn't let it happen again. They were the two most important people in his life, he would find that bastard and make him pay for the pain he caused to this family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why Not is a Hungarian gay bar. I'm not really good with names, so I borrowed it. I hope they don't mind.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Thank you for your support! I hope you like this chapter, too.
> 
> Jeremy appears a few more times in this fic. One thing is sure, Blaine really-really hates him.

Blaine was perfectly sure in one thing as he watched Kurt pacing in the living room: no matter what would happen between them, he didn't want to become Kurt's enemy. Once the man had been able to calm down, he had joined the two policemen downstairs. Blaine had gone with him, too, and since Danny had been in full panic mode and refused to be left alone with anybody but Kurt and Blaine, the boy had ended up in the living room, too. 

Blaine held Danny in his arms and watched Kurt in silence who didn't even try to hide his anger. It was the same every time, the police came, they told them everything and these two men who were working on Kurt's case ensured him that it wouldn't happen again. But it did. And Kurt wasn't sure he would be able to get over it again.

"Mr Hummel, please, calm..."

"Don't tell me to calm down" Kurt interrupted. "When you first told me that it would be fine and you would catch this man in no time, I believed you. But it's not just about letters anymore. This man came into my house, he endangered my son's safety, he..."

Kurt shook his head and looked at the photos lying on the table. It was still terrifying to know that there was a stranger out there who followed him everywhere he went.

"I just want to feel safe in my own home. Is it too much to ask for?" he asked quietly.

"Mr Hummel, I know how you feel..."

Kurt shot an angry glare towards the police officer, silencing him immediately.

"We will find your stalker" the man said. "Now that we have the license plate numbers, we will catch him in no time and you will be safe again."

"Thank you for the information, by the way" his partner said. 

"You're welcome" Blaine muttered. He understood why Kurt didn't trust the police. All they knew about the stalker was what the Warblers had found. The police hadn't done anything at all.

"I will call you if we figure something out" the first man said and left hastily with his partner.

Once the door closed behind them, everybody turned towards Kurt. The pale man was still looking at the table where the proofs had been, his eyes full of anger and fear. Blaine wanted to pull him into a hug, tell him that it was going to be fine, or better, catch that asshole who caused so much pain for Kurt and make sure he never left the prison again. And that was exactly what he was going to do. He wouldn't wait for the police any longer, he had the perfect team to catch the stalker, he knew that he could do it with the help of his friends. 

He looked down at Danny who had gone perfectly still in his arms. Blaine lifted his head a little and smiled when he saw that Danny was asleep. It was understandable; with everything that had happened during the day, with the panic the attack had caused, he must have been exhausted. 

"We should bring him upstairs" Blaine said quietly.

Kurt slowly turned his head away from the table and looked at Danny. He hadn't left Blaine's side for the past few hours and as much as it made him happy because Danny finally accepted Blaine, it made Kurt a little disappointed, too. He should have been the one who took care of the boy, not their bodyguard, even if Blaine was much more than that for them. He always screwed up everything and it looked like he ruined his relationship with Danny, too. He couldn't keep him safe and Danny must have felt it. 

"I will do it" Kurt said and stepped to Blaine to get Danny from his arms.

"I can bring him upstairs" Blaine said. "He had a long day, we shouldn't wake him up."

Kurt nodded, fighting back his tears, and let Blaine carry Danny upstairs into his room. Once Danny was in his bed, Blaine stepped back, letting Kurt take care of his son. Danny must have had a nightmare because he started trashing and muttering in his dream but Kurt quickly smoothed him with a lullaby. Blaine smiled as he watched Kurt run his fingers through Danny's ginger curls. They looked so peaceful like that, as if they weren't going through a nightmare. Kurt was such a strong person, it always amazed Blaine.

When Kurt was sure that Danny was asleep and wouldn't wake up again, he pressed a kiss to the boy's forehead and walked out of the room, with Blaine following him closely. Kurt stopped outside of the room, leaning his forehead to the wall.

"Are you alright?" Blaine asked in concern.

"Do I look alright?" Kurt asked tiredly.

"No" Blaine smiled sadly. "I know that it must be hard for you, but we will find that man soon and it will be over."

"It doesn't mean the damage he's caused will be gone with him as well" Kurt whispered.

"What do you mean?" Blaine frowned.

"Danny doesn't trust me anymore" Kurt said, looking away. 

"That's not true!" Blaine said.

"I should keep him safe, make sure that things like this never happen" Kurt shook his head. "I feel like I failed. Today I proved that I'm not strong enough. Who knows what could have happened if you weren't here."

"You would have kicked that man's ass" Blaine smiled.

"I don't think so" Kurt sighed. "When I heard the crash, I panicked. I should have stayed calm and showed Danny that I was able to keep him safe but I didn't. He saw how scared I was and now he won't be able to trust me again."

"Look at me" Blaine said and forced Kurt to look into his eyes. "Kurt, you are his hero. You will always be. And you haven't done anything wrong. Most people would act the same way you did, that's completely normal. That man attacked your home, the place where you're supposed to be safe. It's alright to be scared. You're a human with feelings and Danny knows that. He's not disappointed in you."

"I wish you were right" Kurt sighed. 

"I am" Blaine winked.

"You handled the situation quite well" Kurt said. "I can't believe you could stay so calm and act so quickly."

"That's my job, I'm trained to act quickly" Blaine said.

"How can you stay calm and make rational decisions in a situation like this?" Kurt asked.

"I'm a good actor, I guess" Blaine said. "You might have thought that I was fine but honestly, I was scared, too. When I heard that crash, I thought that he had a gun and he was going to break in and start shooting. I was thinking about how to get you into safety as quickly as I can because I was terrified that you could get hurt."

"Good thing it was just a brick" Kurt smiled weakly.

"If it had been a gun, I would have shot him before he could get to you" Blaine said and reached out to squeeze Kurt's hand.

"You think you could shoot someone?" Kurt asked.

Blaine hesitated for a second. He had never killed anyone and only hurt people if he had to but for Kurt... Yeah. He would kill if he had to.

"If it means I can keep you safe... I would do it" Blaine answered honestly.

In that moment, Blaine was sure that Kurt wanted to kiss him. He was so close, Blaine could practically feel his body heat, the beating of his heart. He didn't know what to do, though. He wanted to grab Kurt's neck and close the gap between them, feel his lips on his again after so much time but he had made a promise that he wouldn't do that, he wouldn't risk Kurt's safety...

Screw that, he decided and lifted his hand up to Kurt's neck.

"Blaine!"

He jumped back just in time before David could see them as he ran up the stairs. He looked at Kurt whose face was scarlet and acted like he found the decoration on the wall very interesting. 

"David! Uhm... hi" Blaine said awkwardly. "What can I do for you?"

David raised an eyebrow as he looked from Blaine to Kurt and then back at his friend, smiling knowingly.

"Nick found something interesting. You should come downstairs... if you aren't too busy" David said.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course. I was going to go downstairs anyway" Blaine said.

"Yeah, you should leave now" Kurt nodded hastily. "I... I should go to sleep."

"Yes, that's what we were talking about" Blaine said.

"Exactly!" Kurt said. "Good night, guys."

Kurt looked at Blaine one more time before he turned around and after a second, he finally found the right direction and walked into his room, shutting the door a little too quickly behind him.

Blaine stayed frozen in place, his eyes on the spot where he had seen Kurt's face the last time, with a silly grin on his face. David needed all of his willpower not to laugh at his friend.

"Uhm... Blaine?" he said hesitantly when it became obvious that Blaine completely forgot what they had been talking about.

"What?" Blaine asked, finally looking at him.

"Warbler meeting... downstairs..." David said slowly.

"Yeah! Let's go" Blaine muttered and after looking at Kurt's door one last time, he finally started walking towards the stairs.

~ o ~  
ˇ

In the camera room, Nick was working on his computer, not paying attention to anything around him. Jeff watched him from behind, knowing that something was bothering his friend. Nick hadn't said a word that night and he seemed way too somber.

"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?" Jeff asked.

"No" Nick answered.

Jeff saw that he played down the recording from earlier that night again, stopping it in every few seconds.

"Have you found something?" Jeff tried again.

"Not sure" Nick answered.

"Nicky..."

"Jeff, just... let me work" Nick sighed tiredly.

"Maybe it would go easier if you let me help you" Jeff said.

"Something isn't right" Nick shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Jeff asked.

"The recording... look" Nick pointed at the screen. "He stopped the car, walked back to the house and went to the kitchen's window. Why would he go there?"

"I don't know. It was the closest window he could break?" Jeff asked.

"No, it wasn't" Nick answered. "He's been following Kurt for weeks, he surely knows about us. It means he knew that he had to be quick if he didn't want to be caught, so the hall would have been a better option. Why did he choose the kitchen?"

"You're right" Jeff nodded in agreement. "He took a lot of risk with that window. Blaine saw him on the screen, we almost caught him."

"The cameras..." Nick muttered.

"What's wrong with the cameras?" Jeff asked.

"There're cameras around the building and they record almost everything" Nick said.

"Yeah, I noticed" Jeff rolled his eyes.

"But they're barely visible. We made sure nobody can see them from the street, so he shouldn't have known about them" Nick said.

"But... Okay, I don't understand" Jeff said.

"He somehow knows about the security system" Nick explained.

"That's impossible! Nobody knows about it except for us and Kurt" Jeff said.

"And maybe some of Kurt's friends" Nick said.

"You think it's one of Kurt's friends?" Jeff raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know" Nick sighed in frustration. "This guy seems to know too much about him. I don't think it's a stranger." 

"What if it's a computer genius and hacked our system?" Jeff asked.

"Well, he certainly has to be a genius if he knew what we settled in here, hacked the computer without us noticing it and, of course, he came up with this amazing idea on his own" Nick said.

"Not impossible" Jeff shrugged.

Nick turned back to the computer, watching the man on the screen angrily.

"Nobody can mess with my system" Nick said and started working again. 

Jeff took a step back and shook his head as he watched Nick's fingers run down the keyboard with almost impossible speed, new windows open from nowhere and disappear without trace. Nick was really good in this.

"Okay, guys, what do we have?" Blaine asked as he joined them with David.

"The guy knew where to attack to avoid the cameras" Jeff said simply. "He chose the kitchen window because it's the safest way to attack if he wanted to stay hidden from view."

"How did he know?" Blaine asked.

"We don't know. Nick's working on it" Jeff said.

"He might have hacked the system or..."

"Or somebody told him about the cameras" Blaine finished Nick's sentence. "Damn it."

"I will find out how it happened. Just give me some time" Nick said.

"Good. Tell me if you find something" Blaine said.

"How's Kurt?" Jeff asked.

"What do you think?" Blaine asked back.

"Right" Jeff sighed.

"He will be fine once it's over" Blaine said. "Uhm... Jeff, can we talk for a second?"

"Sure. What do you want to talk about?" Jeff asked.

"Privately, please" Blaine said. It was something he didn't want the others to know about.

"Right!" Jeff said and followed Blaine outside, unable to hide his smile. It was about Kurt, he knew. "What is it?"

"I need your help" Blaine smiled. It was a crazy idea but he knew how to make Kurt smile again.

~ o ~

Blaine was up to something, Kurt was certain. His bodyguard was acting stragely since they had left the house in the morning, he barely talked to Kurt but when he thought Kurt wasn't paying attention, he smiled mischievously.

Kurt got more confused when instead of going home after work, Blaine brought him somewhere else. The way was familiar but he still didn't understand what was going on.

"Will you tell me where we are going?" Kurt asked.

"No" Blaine smiled. "It's a surprise."

"I don't like surprises" Kurt said.

"You will like this one" Blaine said. "Or... at least I hope so."

Kurt sighed and leaned back in his seat. Blaine still didn't want to tell him anything, so he had to wait for that surprise a little more. To be honest, he wasn't in the mood to do anything. He wanted to go home, be with Danny and pretend that everything was alright. 

"We're here" Blaine said as he stopped the car and got out.

Kurt blinked in surprise. He knew this place, he had been here before...

"What are we doing here?" he asked in confusion.

"You will see soon" Blaine winked and grabbed Kurt's hand.

It was so familiar. Blaine held his hand in a tight grip as he led Kurt upstairs, unlocked the door and motioned Kurt to step inside. The man sighed and walked through the door, looking around in the small place.

"So why are we in your apartment?" Kurt asked.

"How do you know that it's Blaine's apartment?"

Kurt gulped nervously as Danny and Jeff walked out of the bedroom.

"Hey" Kurt said awkwardly. "I... Uhm..."

"Because I told him" Blaine lied easily.

"Sure" Jeff smiled.

"I'm confused" Kurt said. "What are we doing here?"

"I thought you would like to get out and relax a bit" Blaine explained.

"Is it safe?" Kurt asked.

"Absolutely" Blaine nodded. "Nobody can find you here."

"And I will be outside, watch the building" Jeff said as he stepped to the door. "Have a good time."

Jeff left and locked the door behind him. When they were alone, Blaine took a deep breath and walked into his tiny kitchen.

"I hope you're hungry" he said. "I'm doing Fettuccine Alfredo. I got the recipe from Jeff's mother. She's an amazing cook, so hopefully you will like it."

"I'm hungry!" Danny said.

"Very good" Blaine winked. "Sit down and enjoy the show."

Kurt and Danny sat down and watched as Blaine started working in the kitchen. Kurt asked Danny about school and told him the news about his upcoming opening night. Meanwhile, Blaine tried to act like a professional cook which was fun since he had trouble with the smallest things, he didn't find anything, didn't understand half of the recipe and in the end, he had to let Kurt and Danny finish their early dinner.

"Okay, this is embarrassing" Blaine muttered.

"Don't worry about it. At least you tried" Kurt smiled.

"Yeah. And it turned out that a six-year-old can cook better than me" Blaine said, looking away.

"That's right!" Danny said.

"Thanks, Danny" Blaine sighed.

"Danny always helps me in the kitchen and he learns fast" Kurt said. "Don't give up so easily. You can become a great cook."

"Yeah. Now that I know the difference between salt and pepper, I can try to make eggs" Blaine said.

"You see?" Kurt laughed. "Although I have no idea how you survived alone when you don't even know the basics."

"Canned food is my best friend" Blaine replied. "Uhm... Let's sit down, the food's getting cold. We have something to drink, too, I just have to find it."

"In the fridge" Danny helped him.

"Thank you" Blaine said and walked to the fridge. He should have asked Jeff where he had put their supplies. "So, we have orange juice for the minor and white wine for the adults."

"Sounds great" Kurt said.

Blaine opened the bottles, filled the three glasses and walked back to the table. Danny chose to sit beside Kurt, so Blaine had the last free chair on the other side of the table. He barely ate from his food, he watched the others and made sure they only talked about happy things. He wanted Kurt and Danny to forget about the stalker and have a good time, that's why he had planned this surprise for the afternoon and he wanted to do everything he could to make them happy.

Once they finished their food, they washed the dishes together and moved back into Blaine's bedroom. Blaine got them dozens of comedies and animation movies, so they could choose what they wanted to watch, and Danny's favourite snacks. He wasn't surprised when Danny chose Frozen, one of his favorites, the movie he watched at least once a week. 

They sat down onto the bed, Blaine and Kurt sitting beside each other and Danny sitting between Kurt's legs, with his back pressed to the man's chest. The little boy was completely lost in the movie as if he saw it for the first time but the two adults weren't really paying attention. Kurt had turned scarlet the second they had stepped inside, remembering that night he had shared with Blaine and his cheeks still weren't back to their normal colour. He kept glancing at Blaine who couldn't stop smiling as Kurt's face turned redder and redder every time Blaine caught him watching. After a while, Blaine reached out and took Kurt's hand in his, sighing in relief when Kurt didn't pull his hand back. As they got closer to the end of the movie, they somehow got closer to each other, too, the small gap disappeared between them and Kurt rested his head on Blaine's shoulder. 

Blaine's plan worked perfectly. Kurt and Danny forgot everything for that few hours and it was amazing to see them happy, even if it couldn't last forever.

"Can we watch it again?" Danny asked when the movie ended.

"No, honey" Kurt said as he checked the time on his phone. "It's late. We have to go home."

At the mention of home, Danny's smile disappeared and he looked at Blaine for help. There was something in his eyes he wasn't supposed to feel: fear.

"Yeah, I think the new security system's ready" Blaine said suddenly, a new idea forming in his mind.

"New security system?" Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You know, the one we talked about in the morning" Blaine said, hoping that Kurt understood what he was doing.

"Oh, that!" Kurt said, finally understanding that Blaine only wanted Danny to calm down.

"Yeah. The guys made some changes. Your house's absolutely safe now, nobody can enter it without permission" Blaine lied.

"Really?" Danny asked in hope.

"Of course. We wouldn't let you down" Blaine winked. 

"We will be safe at home" Kurt said and squeezed Danny's hand. "Can we go?"

"Yes" Danny said. "Will we come back here and watch movies again?"

"Would you like to?" Blaine asked.

"Yes!" Danny said excitedly.

"Then I guess we can do it" Blaine said, looking at Kurt.

"Only if we don't bother you" Kurt said.

"You? Never" Blaine smiled.

~ o ~

Blaine was still in a good mood the next day. Kurt's rehearsal went perfectly, so they left earlier and they had coffee together before they got home. It was like their first night, they talked about funny moments and none of them mentioned the stalker. For a few hours, they could pretend that everything was fine. Unfortunately, it didn't stay that way. When Blaine got back from the bathroom later that night, he found David and Wes whispering in the living room. He knew the moment he saw them that something wasn't right. They seemed too concerned and when they noticed Blaine, they fell silent and looked away.

"Okay. What is it?" Blaine asked.

"Don't be angry" Wes said.

"Why would I be angry?" Blaine asked. He didn't uderstand a thing.

"The stalker's car... it was stolen" David said slowly.

Blaine sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead.

"But... somebody saw him, right? There's a video or..."

"No, Blaine" Wes said. "It was stolen from a parking lot but nobody saw it."

"They use fake cameras because the real things would be too expensive" David said.

Blaine sighed again and sat down onto the couch.

"Does Kurt know?" he asked.

"We told him" Wes said. "He didn't take it too well."

"He's in his room if you want to talk to him" David said.

"Yeah, I think I should check on him" Blaine said. He had no idea how Kurt felt, he was surely devastated. They had kept telling him that they could catch the stalker if they found his car but now... He didn't know what to tell Kurt.

Blaine took a deep breath and pushed himself up from the couch. He walked upstairs slowly, trying to figure out what to tell Kurt. He had to make him believe that everything was going to be alright but he didn't know how to do it.

He knocked on Kurt's door but didn't get an answer. After a second of hesitation, he grabbed the handle and opened the door slightly. Kurt was sitting on his bed with his laptop on his legs, he didn't look up when Blaine stepped inside and didn't say a word. 

"Hey" Blaine said softly.

"Would you leave me alone, please? I have to work" Kurt said.

"Again?" Blaine raised an eyebrow. Since Kurt didn't protest, he stepped closer to the bed and looked down at the text on the screen. "What is this?"

"My memoir" Kurt sighed.

Blaine threw his head back and laughed. Unfortunately, Kurt didn't laugh with him.

"Wait, are you serious?" Blaine asked.

"I am" Kurt nodded slowly.

"Aren't you too young for a memoir?" Blaine asked. He knew that Kurt was a few years younger than him.

"It wasn't my idea" Kurt said. "I agree with you, actually. I only became famous a few years ago and didn't have too many big rolls. I don't think I... deserve a memoir."

"Nah, don't say that. It's just funny because if you write it now, what will you publish later?" Blaine asked.

"I don't know. I don't even know what to do with this one" Kurt said. "I've been working on it since months but I only have a few pages."

"Maybe I can help you" Blaine said as he sat down beside Kurt. "What would your fans what to read about?"

"Rumors" Kurt answered without hesitation. "Romances, scandals, every dirty detail I know about my co-workers and friends."

"Then give them some" Blaine shrugged.

"I won't do that, Blaine" Kurt said and finally, he looked into Blaine's eyes. "I disapprove of this kind of things. Everybody has right to privacy and if they want to keep these things secret, I will respect their decision. We both know how bad it is when others want to destroy your life."

Kurt took a deep breath and put his laptop down. 

"I should have said no" he continued. "I can't do this. I don't want to write about others' lives and I certainly don't want to write about mine. I barely have anything I can share with my fans without being afraid of other lunatics coming after me. I won't risk the safety of Danny, my father, Carole or any of my friends by giving some crazy people the opportunity to get into their lives through my book."

Kurt was talking faster and faster, Blaine could practically feel as his heart sped up and he was breathing heavily. He grabbed both of Kurt's hands and pulled the other man close.

"Kurt, calm down" he said quietly.

"I can't" Kurt said in panic. "It's like a nightmare. I feel like I'm trying to get out of a labyrinth but I can't find a way and-and there's a monster after me and he could find me in any second."

"Kurt, you have to calm down and breath" Blaine said again. Kurt was hyperventilating and Blaine was afraid that he would faint.

"I tried to not give up hope but how can I do it when he's always smarter and faster?" Kurt continued.

Blaine didn't think in that moment, that was sure. He was desperate, he wanted to help Kurt and he moved before he could understand what he was doing. He let go of Kurt's hands and grabbed his head instead, pulled him closer and pressed his lips to Kurt's. It wasn't even a real kiss. They stayed frozen in place for almost a whole minute, until Kurt was able to get out of the shock and breath properly. Then Blaine let go of him and pulled back, afraid of Kurt's reaction.

For a short time, none of them moved or said anything. They were looking into each other's eyes, both of them wide-eyed and panting.

"I-I'm sorry" Blaie said in the end.

"Are you?" Kurt whispered.

"No. Not at all" Blaine answered honestly.

Kurt smiled and before Blaine could blink, he climbed into his lap and sneaked his arms around the man. When his lips met Blaine's for the second time that night, it happened a lot slower, their lips barely touching at first. Suddenly, Blaine's arms were around Kurt, keeping him in a tight grip, so the man was unable to pull back. Not that he wanted to, not at all. He had been waiting for this moment for weeks and now that he was finally kissing Blaine, he never wanted to let go. 

Meanwhile, Blaine was thinking about the possible outgoes of the situation. He had told himself and Kurt so many times that they couldn't do this, rationally he knew that it would be the best decision but still... it felt so right. He wanted Kurt and just the thought of losing him made his heart stop for a second. No, he couldn't lose Kurt. But if he rejected him again, Kurt would give up sooner or later and move on, possibly straight into Jeremy's arms. Blaine couldn't let it happen but what should he do then? Give in and risk the safety of Kurt or say no and risk losing him for forever?

"We need to talk" Blaine said as he pushed Kurt away.

"That doesn't sound good" Kurt said slowly, knowing that this sentence never meant good.

"Kurt, I... I like you. A lot" Blaine said.

"I like you, too" Kurt said, closing his eyes. He was 100 percent sure that Blaine would continue with a 'but'. He knew it.

"I want you, I want you so badly" Blaine whispered. "Since that night, I can't stop thinking about you and what we could have. But..."

"I thought you wanted this, too" Kurt interrupted. "You... Blaine, you're much more than a bodyguard for me and for Danny, too. Sometimes it feels like you're part of our family. You spend so much time with us and... it feels like you care about us."

"I do" Blaine nodded. "You mean so much for me."

"What's the problem then? Why don't you want to be with me?" Kurt asked and climbed down from Blaine's lap, sitting beside him instead.

"I'm scared" Blaine admitted. "I'm scared that it would distract me, that I would make a mistake and put you at risk. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me."

Kurt opened his mouth but closed it almost immediately. He didn't know what to say. So far, he had thought that Blaine was afraid of being in a relationship, he didn't know that he felt this way.

"I trust you, Blaine" he said in the end and got to his knees to look into Blaine's eyes. "I know that you can keep us safe, even if we're together. Don't tell me it would affect your job more than the frustration."

Blaine smiled at that. Kurt was right. There was so much frustration in him, it wasn't good either. Maybe it was even worse than letting himself act as he felt.

"It can't be official, you know" Blaine said, eyeing Kurt's lips. "Your stalker... he would do something crazy if he finds out."

Kurt bit his lower lip, thinking.

"But if the police catch him..."

"I will be yours. In every possible way" Blaine said before he could stop himself.

"Is that so?" Kurt asked, a devious little smile forming on his face.

"Yes" Blaine nodded as Kurt climbed back over him, pressing his body down to his. 

"I guess we made a deal" Kurt said and leaned closer, kissing Blaine's neck lightly.

"What-what are you doing?" Blaine asked as Kurt's lips started moving downwards.

"Distracting you" Kurt answered. Now he had his hands under Blaine's shirt and he was working on the man's pants.

"We-we have to..." Blaine's words turned into a moan as Kurt's hands finally found the way into his pants. "Okay. Whatever you want."

"I want you to be quiet. Nobody can hear us, remember?" Kurt winked.

"Yeah. Yeah, tha-that would be horrible" Blaine nodded.

"Good boy" Kurt purred, his hands only leaving Blaine's body for a second until he got the supplies they needed.

For the first time after weeks of suffering, their bodies connected again and the feeling was a million times better than their first night. It was something they both knew they would never be able to forget. That night, in Kurt's room, they could be together without being afraid of the problems waiting for them outside of the door. They could forget family, friends and foes, the whole world disappeared for that short time and nobody else existed just the two of them.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. Enjoy!  
> I hope you missed Jeremy...:)

Kurt so didn't want to work the next day. He could barely stand on his feet or stop smiling which made his secret affair with Blaine almost impossible to hide. Something told him that Jeff already knew about them, Kurt caught him smiling knowingly several times, and the fact that Kurt couldn't stop blushing through the breakfast didn't make him feel better. Maybe he was just paranoid.

It got better once they left, although all Kurt wanted to do was kiss Blaine again and avoid his job but he knew he couldn't do that. Tina wanted to talk to him about something important, so Kurt forced himself to act like an adult and do what he had to.

It didn't mean he could just stand beside Blaine in the elevator.

"We will get caught" Blaine said but his words soon turned into a moan as Kurt found a sensitive spot under his ear and kissed his skin gently.

"I don't care" Kurt replied, kissing Blaine on his lips again.

"Kurt, you know that we... Oh, keep doing this" Blaine moaned, throwing his head back as Kurt attacked his neck again.

They heard a soft sound as the elevator reached Tina's floor and they jumped away from each other, breathing heavily. Kurt quickly checked his clothes and hair in the mirror and took a deep breath, following a perfectly calm Blaine out of the elevator.

"How can you be so calm?" Kurt whispered.

"Years of practice" Blaine winked.

"I'm not sure I want to know what it means" Kurt shook his head.

Suddenly, Blaine stopped and Kurt walked into him, looking at his bodyguard in concern.

"Is everything alright?" Kurt asked.

"What's he doing here?" Blaine growled, pointing at the glass wall of Tina's office.

Kurt followed his gaze and smiled slightly when he realised what Blaine was talking about. Tina wasn't alone and from the long, blond hair, Kurt immediately knew who the other person was.

"I don't know what your problem is with him" he said as he stepped forward.

"Something isn't right with this guy" Blaine reasoned. 

"You think he has to do something with... you know" Kurt whispered, looking around nervously.

"Yes" Blaine said not too convincingly. Since Jeremy hadn't been in the city for weeks, he couldn't be the stalker.

"You're jealous" Kurt smiled.

"I'm not" Blaine said.

"You are" Kurt said, his smile growing bigger. "It's cute, actually."

The gap between them almost disappeared again but luckily, Blaine was able to notice the footsteps coming towards them in time and stepped away from Kurt, just in time before Tina walked out of her office.

"Where have you been?" Tina asked as she walked to Kurt.

"I'm sorry. I got... Uhm..."

"Let's go inside" Tina insisted. "Jeremy Carter's waiting for you and he has an offer you will love."

Blaine rolled his eyes as he followed Kurt inside and it was hard to hold back himself when Jeremy pulled Kurt into a hug, his hands slipping down on Kurt's back, stopping a little too close to Kurt's ass. Blaine gritted his teeth and forced himself to look away. Freaking bastard. 

"Blaine" Jeremy smiled at him when he pulled away from Kurt. "It's so good to see you again."

Blaine glared at him in response.

"Blaine, would you please stay outside until the meeting is over?" Tina asked.

Blaine looked at Kurt who nodded slightly. Blaine sighed but turned around, walking to the door and shutting it firmly behind him.

"Is he always so gruff?" Jeremy asked.

"He isn't really a morning person" Kurt tried to explain.

"Oh, I see" Jeremy said.

"So, let's talk about the business" Tina said excitedly. "Kurt, Jeremy has an offer for you and I'm sure you will love it."

"Oh?" Kurt turned to Jeremy in interest.

"You know about the child charity foundation my company supports, right?" Jeremy asked.

"Of course" Kurt nodded. He helped the foundation with money, clothes and food, too, and he knew how important it was for Jeremy.

"And I think you heard about the founders' ball, too" Jeremy said and smiled when Kurt nodded.

"You donate the income of the event to hospitals and other foundations which is really nice of you, by the way" Kurt said.

"This year, I want to support another childrens' hospital. They need new medical devices and it means they need a lot of money" Jeremy said.

"I don't know if I could attend the ball but I would like to donate, too" Kurt said.

"That's really sweet, Kurt, but that's not what I meant" Jeremy said.

"He wants you to sing" Tina cut in.

"Sing?" Kurt frowned.

"Kurt, those people who attend the ball, they pay more if they get something in return for their money" Jeremy said. "I would like you to give them a show."

"Oh" Kurt said in surprise.

"And that's not all" Jeremy said. "Since I'm back and we're so good together, I thought we could write you a new song for the event."

"A new song" Kurt repeated.

"Yes" Jeremy said. "Your album will be released a few days before the ball, so it's a good opportunity for you to show a few songs. But if we could give them something... emotional, show them how much these children need help, I'm sure it would be a bigger success. So what do you think?"

Kurt looked at Blaine through the glass and thought that his bodyguard would surely hate the idea of spending more time with Jeremy. On the other hand, kids were very important for Kurt and if he could help with his voice to get them new medical devices and help those children get better...

"Okay" Kurt smiled.

"Really?" Jeremy asked excitedly. "Kurt, you're amazing. I knew you would say yes."

"I told you he would" Tina nodded.

"We have to discuss the details as soon as possible and start to work on the song" Jeremy said. "What about tonight?"

"Tonight?" Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I thought we could have dinner together. But if you want to go home and be with Danny..."

"A late dinner will be fine" Kurt said. "Danny goes to sleep around 8..."

"I will send a car for you for half 9" Jeremy said.

"That's not necessary" Kurt said. "I have my own car and I'm not really comfortable around strangers."

"That's completely understandable, considering the circumstances" Jeremy said, looking at Blaine. "Then I will text you the address later today, okay?"

"Alright" Kurt said.

"I can't wait to see you tonight" Jeremy said and grabbed Kurt's hand, kissed it and winked before he left.

When they were alone, Tina turned to Kurt with a bright smile on her face.

"So...?" 

"What?" Kurt asked.

"He's totally into you" Tina said.

"You don't know what you're talking about" Kurt muttered.

"I do" Tina said. "He's a great guy, you should give him a chance."

"I don't want to date" Kurt said. Well, he didn't want to date Jeremy.

"Why not? He's handsome, clever, has a lot of money... he's perfect!" Tina said.

"Tina, you know that I can't, even if I wanted to. But I don't" Kurt added hastily when Tina opened her mouth again.

"I'm wondering where he will bring you" Tina said.

Kurt closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. The last thing he needed was a work date with Jeremy but he wanted to help those children, so he had to go through it.

~ o ~

It looked like Blaine wasn't the only one who didn't like the idea of Kurt having dinner with Jeremy. He man didn't say a word but Kurt knew that he didn't want to see Jeremy around Kurt. Blaine was unusually quiet and Kurt barely saw him when they were at home. Kurt didn't like it at all. They could have had some time for each other but Blaine chose to hide in his room.

When Danny came home, Kurt realised that Blaine wasn't the biggest hater of Jeremy. Kurt told the boy that he was going out later that night to have dinner with Jeremy and Danny took the news awfully. First, he didn't say anything either but he left Kurt and ran upstairs, slamming the door behind him. When Kurt went after him to talk to him, Danny didn't open the door for him, so Kurt went back to his room to get ready. 

Jeremy texted him the address and Kurt knew which restaurant it was, an expensive place, so he had to dress up properly. He grimanced as he went through his clothes. He wanted to stay home, curl up on the couch in his most comfortable clothes and watch movies with Blaine and Danny. He wasn't in the mood to spend the whole night with Jeremy.

"Not that."

Kurt turned around with a red waistcoat in his hands, smiling when he found Danny standing at the door.

"I have to look elegant" Kurt sighed. "But if you have a good idea what I should wear..."

Danny sighed and walked to the wardrobe.

"Why are you gonna have dinner with him?" he asked, suddenly looking at Kurt.

"It's about business" Kurt shrugged. "There's a ball where I will..."

"Why didn't you say no?" Danny asked, his eyes full of betrayal.

"Danny, this is just a simple dinner" Kurt said. "You don't like him, right?"

Danny shook his head.

"He's just a friend" Kurt said. "I work with him, so sometimes I have to see him but..."

"Blaine's just a friend, too" Danny said quietly.

Kurt smiled, running his fingers through Danny's hair. His relationship with Blaine must have been so confusing for the boy.

"Blaine's something more" Kurt said.

"Because you want to kiss him?" Danny asked.

"You can say that, yeah" Kurt nodded hesitantly.

"But you don't want to kiss Jeremy" Danny said.

"Certainly not" Kurt replied.

"Okay" Danny nodded.

"So will you let me go out tonight?" Kurt asked.

"If I have to..." Danny shrugged.

Kurt laughed as he leaned down to kiss the boy's forehead. 

"I will be back as soon as possible, okay?" Kurt said.

"Fine" Danny nodded.

~ o ~

It didn't mean Danny let him get dressed in peace. Once they picked out the best outfit for Kurt, his pants got 'accidentally' dirty while he was in the bathroom and his shoes seemed to be lost, too. Kurt had to change clothes again and when he was almost ready to leave, Danny decided that he couldn't fall asleep alone, he was scared of darkness and wanted Kurt to stay with him until he fell asleep or preferably until the next morning. So when Kurt could finally leave, at was way after half 9. 

"I will be late" he said to Blaine who was sitting beside him in the car.

"Believe me, he will wait for you, even if you don't show up tonight" Blaine said, unable to stop his snarl.

"Not you too, please" Kurt sighed. "This is just a dinner."

"For you, maybe" Blaine said.

"He knows that I don't want anything from him" Kurt said as he stopped the car.

"And people who accept that choose fancy places like this for work dates, right?" Blaine asked with a raised eyebrow, eyeing the expensive looking restaurant.

"Don't be jealous" Kurt said and pressed a quick kiss to Blaine's cheek. "I'm all yours."

"Just so you know, if he tries anything, I will kick his ass" Blaine said as they walked inside.

"Kurt!" Jeremy said happily when he saw them and walked to Kurt to greet him with a hug. "I thought you wouldn't come."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't leave Danny" Kurt said.

"I understand" Jeremy said and grabbed Kurt's hand, leading him to their table.

As Kurt sat down and looked around, he noticed one thing: the restaurant was completely empty except for them and a few waiters. 

"Where are the other guests?" he frowned.

"The place's ours for tonight" Jeremy smiled. "I thought you would feel uncomfortable with so many people around you and it would have made your bodyguard's job harder, so..."

"So you got us the whole place?" Kurt asked, his mouth hanging open in surprise.

"Is it too much?" Jeremy asked.

"I... I don't know what to say" Kurt said in the end, avoiding Blaine's sarcastical 'just a dinner' comment behind him.

"Oh, Blaine" Jeremy said as he turned to the bodyguard. "My guards are here to watch us, so you can sit down outside until we finish here."

Kurt looked at Blaine hesitantly, hoping that Blaine could stay calm and not punch Jeremy in front of the people around them.

"Why not?" Blaine said finally. "I see you took care of everything."

"That's right" Jeremy nodded. "I always take care of people who're important for me."

"Your employees must be very grateful if you treat them all like Kurt" Blaine said.

Kurt gulped nervously as the two men stepped closer to each other, eyeing the other with hateful eyes. It was just the matter of time that one of them started a fight. He jumped up from his seat and stepped between them, trying to ease the tension.

"Why don't we sit down? I'm hungry" Kurt said hastily, smiling at Jeremy.

"You're right" Jeremy nodded and snapped his fingers, waiting for a waiter to step forward. "Would you please show Mr Anderson his table?"

"Yes, sir" the man answered.

Blaine looked into Kurt's pleading eyes and nodded slowly. It wasn't like he didn't trust Kurt, he just couldn't stand this asshole and didn't want to leave Kurt alone with him. But he didn't have a choice. He couldn't cause a scene, not in front of Kurt who hated violence, so he took a deep breath and left.

"Very good" Jeremy smiled when they were alone. "Let's start with the wine."

"Okay" Kurt said quietly. He hated seeing Blaine like this and wanted nothing but to run after him.

Half an hour later, Kurt wished he could be in Blaine's place and not have to listen to what Jeremy was talking about. The food and the wine were delicious, the place was beautiful, but Kurt was so bored. Jeremy couldn't stop talking about himself and he didn't say a word about job. Okay, maybe he was naive when he had thought Jeremy understood that they were just friends and wouldn't be more, but there was nothing to do now. He agreed to write a song with Jeremy and he wouldn't change his mind, risking that the children couldn't get enough money. 

"...And then I looked at him, took another step forward and put my hat back onto my head. You know, like in the movies. What do you think he did then?"

Kurt opened his mouth but then closed again because he had no idea what Jeremy was talking about.

"Have you thought about the song?" he asked in the end. They should at least talk about it and make something useful.

"What song?" Jeremy asked in confusion.

"For the ball" Kurt replied.

"Oh, that song" Jeremy laughed. "To be honest, I've written about a dozen songs for you."

"Oh" Kurt said in surprise.

"I could show you them and if you like either of them, we could use it for the ball" Jeremy said.

"I don't know. I have an idea for the song and I think..."

"Of course" Jeremy cut in. "We can use your idea. I know it will be amazing."

"I'm a little worried, to be honest" Kurt said. "It's about child abuse. I think it's a good song but I don't know what people would think, especially if I sing it at a ball."

"We will figure out what to do with it" Jeremy assured him. "Don't forget, our company's the best in the city. I spent my whole life working with artists. I know what people need."

"Thank you, Jeremy" Kurt said.

"Anytime" Jeremy said and raised his glass for a toast.

~ o ~

Blaine hated Jeremy. He so hated him. He hated that he was handsome, that he had a lot of money, that he had clothes Blaine would never be able to afford for himself or that he could get a whole restaurant just for himself if he wanted to. Blaine grimanced as he thought about his tiny and old apartment, berating himself that he had been so stupid to bring Kurt there instead of saving some money and bring him to a better place, a romantic little restaurant with candles and real food. 

As he watched Kurt and Jeremy eat – smiling in satisfaction that Kurt was so bored that he almost fell asleep – he leaned his head back against the wall and tried to imagine a life where he could give Kurt what he needed. He had never cared about money before, he had had enough to pay the bills and his food, to buy some clothes if he needed something but nothing more. He had been alone and hadn't needed anything else.

But he wasn't alone anymore. Now he had Kurt and he wanted to give him everything in his power. Once Kurt's stalker was caught, he wanted a real relationship with the man. He wanted real dates, he wanted to visit new places, buy Kurt flowers and gifts... He wanted to be able to afford a bigger place where he could live with Kurt and Danny. And he wanted to travel, a lot. And a dog. Yeah, they certainly needed a dog. Danny would love it.

Blaine sighed as he opened his eyes and looked at Kurt again, slipping back into reality where he could barely afford himself a little apartment, where he and Kurt had a secret affair because of a lunatic keeping Kurt in fear, where he couldn't even dream of something better, not if he didn't find himself a better job. His father would surely laugh at him if he had been here, telling him that he had been right, that Blaine shouldn't have left the university and ruined his life. It wasn't like he didn't like his job. He really enjoyed it, especially when he could work with people like Kurt. But since he had met Kurt, he kept daydreaming about a better future and he had no idea how to have it. Because one thing was sure, if he wanted to be with Kurt, he had to do something with his life and give this amazing man what he deserved. 

"Blaine, are you alright?"

Blaine blinked in surprise, finding Kurt right in front of him.

"Yeah, of course. Just tired" Blaine answered.

"We're done here" Kurt said and took his hand.

Blaine wanted to enjoy that moment and hold Kurt's hand in his after watching him have dinner with another man, but they couldn't do that. Jeremy was right there, behind Kurt, watching them suspiciously. Blaine sighed and let go of Kurt's hand, stepping away.

"Let's go home then" Blaine said and followed Kurt outside, avoiding Jeremy's gaze.

"It was an amazing night, Kurt. We should do it again soon" Jeremy said at the car.

"Yeah. Maybe. I will call you about the song, okay?" Kurt said hastily and went to open the door.

"I can't wait for your call" Jeremy said and turned to Blaine. "I'm glad we met again."

"I know. It's always pleasure to meet you, Jeremy" Blaine said with a forced smile and turned away before he could say or do something he would regret.

Luckily, Kurt started the car and they were gone before Jeremy could say something else. Blaine could see that Kurt didn't enjoy the night either and was glad that they got away.

"So... how was it?" Blaine asked.

Kurt rolled his eyes as he looked at him for a second.

"What? You seemed to enjoy each other's company" Blaine shrugged.

"Is this a joke or you weren't there for the main part?" Kurt asked.

"He's such a sweet guy" Blaine laughed. "I don't know what your problem is."

"Just once in my life, I want a normal date" Kurt sighed. "I can't believe I always find these idiots."

"What are you talking about? Your knight got you a whole restaurant, this is certainly something. Oh, and don't forget the other one, that phychic..."

"Oh, no, no, no. No" Kurt said quietly. "I just want to forget those things ever happened."

"Then think about what you have" Blaine said, running his fingers down Kurt's legs. "We wouldn't be together if you hadn't met them."

"Right" Kurt nodded. "Besides, we still have time before we have to go home and I have the perfect idea what to do."

"Where are we going?" Blaine frowned when he noticed they weren't heading towards Kurt's place.

"It's a surprise" Kurt singsonged.

"I hate surprises" Blaine said.

"You will like this one" Kurt winked.

"Oh, I see" Blaine said in understanding. They had had the same conversation a few days earlier when they had had dinner in his apartment.

Blaine wasn't surprised when they stopped in front of his home but he looked at Kurt with a raised eyebrow when the man pulled out his keys to the front door.

"From your nightstand" Kurt shrugged.

"You went through my things?" Blaine asked.

"No. I knew where to search for it" Kurt replied. "Don't worry, I didn't find any of your dirty secrets."

"Because I don't have any" Blaine said.

"Are you sure?" Kurt whispered as he pushed Blaine to the wall, slamming the door shut.

Blaine looked around nervously. He knew why they were here and he had to admit, it was a good thing that Kurt had gotten his keys from his room, so they could spend some time together. But he was still a bodyguard and Kurt was still in danger, so no matter how much he wanted to pin Kurt to the wall and show him how much he meant for Blaine, he had to make sure they were safe.

"Stay here. One second" Blaine said, leaving Kurt alone in the kitchen.

"You can't be serious" Kurt muttered.

Apparently, Blaine was. He went through every room, checked every window and when he finally went back for Kurt, he found him sitting on the floor.

"No lurking figures in the bathroom?" Kurt asked, smiling.

"No" Blaine shook his head. 

"Very good" Kurt smiled and got up from the floor. He slowly walked to Blaine, licking his lips as he ran his eyes up and down Blaine's body. 

Once Kurt reached out to touch his chest, Blaine grabbed the man's wrists, pinning him to the closest wall, kissing him roughly. He pressed his body to Kurt's, smiling when Kurt moaned, rocking his hips. Blaine could feel his hard on through the material of his pants and he couldn't wait to get Kurt out of those clothes. It had been a long night and he had spent it away from Kurt, watching him have dinner with another man. Even if it didn't mean anything, it had been pure torture watching Kurt with somebody else. But now he was here, willing to give all of himself for Blaine. And Blaine planned to get everything from Kurt. He needed him, right now.

Blaine kissed Kurt one more time and let go of his wrists, allowing Kurt to step away from the wall. They had to make it to the bedroom somehow but if they stayed there for one more second, Blaine wouldn't be able to hold himself back any longer.

It looked like it was exactly what Kurt wanted. He stepped away from the wall but didn't follow Blaine, he started getting out of his clothes and when Blaine turned back around, Kurt was half naked, playing with the buttons of his pants.

"When you do this, it drives me crazy" Blaine muttered as Kurt leaned down and pulled down his pants.

"Really?" Kurt winked, leaning back against the wall.

Finally, Blaine understood what Kurt wanted and he couldn't help but smiled as he ran into his bedroom, grabbed the lube and a condom and rushed back into the kitchen, trying to free himself from his clothes with one hand.

"Let me help you" Kurt whispered as he reached out for Blaine's shirt, guiding it over his head. 

Once Blaine's shirt was gone, Kurt knelt down in front of the man and started working on his jeans. He pulled down Blaine's jeans to his ankles, his underwear following it closely. Blaine gulped as Kurt looked up at him briefly and then back down at Blaine's cock, leaned forward and kissed the head and then wrapped his lips around Blaine's member.

"Oh, my..." Blaine moaned and leaned back against the table behind him, grabbind the edge of the table for support.

Kurt licked the head of Blaine's cock, kissed it again, then opened his mouth wider to take the whole length of Blaine's cock into his mouth. 

"You're amazing" Blaine said, gripping Kurt's hair.

Blaine had to remind himself that it wasn't just about him, Kurt was there, too, and he wanted him to feel good. Sighing, he pushed Kurt's head away just enough to kneel down beside him and kissed the man again, grabbing the bottle of lube from the table. 

After pouring some lube onto his fingers, Blaine grabbed Kurt's cock with one hand, running his fingers up and down slowly while he found Kurt's entrance with his other hand and pushed one finger inside, careful to not hurt his partner. Kurt still winced in pain and Blaine quickly pressed his lips to his neck where he knew Kurt's sensitive spot was. 

At some point, Kurt somehow got into Blaine's lap, with his arms around Blaine's neck and legs around his waist. Blaine kept an arm around him as he prepared Kurt, giving him enough time to get used to Blaine's fingers. He wanted Kurt to scream in pleasure that night, scream because it was Blaine who made him feel good. Maybe it was silly but Blaine needed it to get rid of the awful memories from earlier.

When Blaine thought Kurt was ready, he climbed back to his feet with Kurt still in his arms and stepped to the wall. He pressed Kurt's back to the wall and leaned forward to kiss him again as he slowly pushed Kurt down onto his cock. 

"Are you alright?" Blaine asked.

"What do you think?" Kurt asked and tightened his legs around Blaine's waist, bouncing a few times on Blaine's cock.

Blaine moaned and blindly reached out for Kurt's hips, gripping him painfully for a second. He pressed Kurt to the wall, making him unable to move, and pulled his cock almost entirely out of his hole. He waited until Kurt whined from the loss and slammed back into him, hard. 

It didn't take Kurt long to turn into a writhing mess in his arms, nails scratching Blaine's back. Blaine had never seen Kurt so out of control and it was hot, making him want to come. But he couldn't. He had to take care of Kurt first.

He grabbed the back of Kurt's thighs and spread his legs wider, so he had a better access to his ass, slamming his cock deeper than before. He knew when he found Kurt's prostate, the man's arms tightened around his shoulders and screamed. He was so beautiful, sweating and panting heavily, with his eyes closed, it made Blaine rock into him faster and harder. He spread Kurt's legs even wider and bit down onto his neck, knowing that Kurt was close to his orgasm.

Kurt's arms disappeared from his shoulders, he pressed them down beside his body, digging his nails into the wall behind him. Blaine tightened his grip on Kurt, sucking on his neck, thrusting into him, hard. Kurt opened his mouth to say something, probably let Blaine know that he was close, but he was too lost in pleasure to form proper words. With a particularly hard thrust into his prostate, Kurt came, screaming as Blaine continued fucking into him. Blaine couldn't hold himself back either and only seconds later, he followed Kurt, moaning as his whole body burnt from pleasure and blinded him temporarily. 

They stayed there, unmoving for a few more minutes, panting heavily. Blaine's whole body was shaking and even if he wanted to stay like this forever, he had to let go of Kurt. He pulled out slowly and helped Kurt get back to his feet, kissing him softly. 

"That... that was..."

"I know" Blaine said and kissed Kurt again.

Kurt could barely stand on his feet, he needed Blaine's support to walk into the bedroom and lie down. He was so exhausted, he could have fallen asleep but rationally, he knew that they had to go back home.

"Just one second" Kurt muttered. "Give me a second and we can go."

"Go where?" Blaine whispered as he put his arms around Kurt.

"Home" Kurt muttered.

"I don't think so" Blaine smiled. "You can barely stand on your feet, you have to rest first."

"But what about..."

"Kurt, relax" Blaine said, kissing Kurt's neck. "We will be fine. Everything will be fine. Let's have some sleep first. I promise that I will wake you up in time."

"Okay" Kurt muttered, already half asleep.

Blaine smiled as he watched Kurt fall asleep almost immediately, too exhausted from the long night. Blaine watched him for a few more minutes, running his fingers down Kurt's beautiful body but in the end, he lay down beside him, pressing his face to Kurt's neck, sighing happily. He could get used to this so easily.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. Enjoy!

"Blaine, look!"

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and Kurt spent it with Danny and Blaine. There was a butterfly exhibition at the mall and Danny wanted to see it, he had been begging the whole week to go and see the butterflies, so after lunch, they had left and gone to the mall. Kurt was in a perfect mood. He was with the two people he loved the most, they had a great time and there was nothing that could ruin his day.

Although they had little time to spend together, they got the best out of those hours. They often went to Blaine's place to have some private time, they had coffee and lunch together every day and Kurt occasionally came up with an excuse to be alone with his bodyguard. It wasn't the best they could have but it was still more than nothing. 

Kurt made sure Blaine and Danny spent some time together, too, and Blaine always joined them if they went somewhere. It was important for him that Danny got to know Blaine and accepted him. Danny was still the first person in his life and he couldn't be with Blaine if Danny was against it.

But it looked like Danny accepted Blaine completely and he was happy to have the man in their life. Now that they were in the room turned into a garden with fountains, trees and hundreds of butterflies, Kurt leaned back against the wall and watched as Danny grabbed Blaine's hand and led him forward to find the butterflies hiding behind the trees. 

"There's another one!" Danny said excitedly.

"Yeah" Blaine muttered, gulping nervously. He hated insects and just the idea of being locked into a room with hundreds of them made him sick.

"It's like it has another pair of eyes on its wings!" Danny said.

"Great" Blaine replied.

"I will ask Kurt if we can buy one" Danny smiled.

"What an amazing idea" Blaine muttered.

"I know" Danny laughed and went to find other butterflies.

"Thanks for coming with us today" Kurt said as he stepped forward and grabbed Blaine's hand for a second.

"I wouldn't have missed it" Blaine said. "Spending the whole afternoon in a room with hundreds of insects that could attack us in any second..."

"Blaine, these are just butterflies" Kurt laughed.

"Scary, dangerous butterflies..." Blaine muttered, eyeing a big blue butterfly in front of his eyes.

"Are you scared of them?" Kurt laughed.

"Hey, don't laugh at me..."

"I'm sorry but it's cute" Kurt smiled. "My fearless bodyguard, ready to beat up anyone without hesitation, is scared of butterflies."

"Okay, I warned you" Blaine said. "Don't come to me for help when they bite and poison you."

"Poisonous butterflies... this is just getting better and better" Kurt said in amusement and stepped away from Blaine to follow Danny.

Blaine looked up at the ceiling where there were about a dozen insects hanging motionlessly. It seemed like they all were watching him, ready to attack in the right moment. Blaine didn't understand how someone could have come up with the idea of opening a place like this and fill it with these disgusting creatures, and why some people thought that coming here was a perfect program for a sunny afternoon. 

"Can we go now?" he asked as he stepped to Kurt again.

"You can wait for us outside if it's too much for you" Kurt replied. 

"What? No. I can deal with a few... hundred butterflies if it's necessary" Blaine said.

"That's good because I don't think we will get out of here anytime soon" Kurt said.

"Blaine, you have a butterfly on your butt" Danny said casually as he passed them.

Blaine knew that all the colour was drained from his cheeks as he slowly turned his head, looking down at the brown-black colored butterfly sitting on his jeans. He needed all of his willpower to stay still and not hurt the animal.

"Is there any chance that you would get it off of me?" he asked Kurt.

"You know that we can't touch them. We have to wait until it leaves" Kurt replied.

Blaine closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Could this day get any worse?

"It will help you with the fear" Kurt said as he grabbed Blaine's hand and pulled him closer. "And I will try to make you forget about it."

"I don't think you can" Blaine said.

"Let me try" Kurt whispered, massaging Blaine's hand. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, keep doing it" Blaine said.

"As you wish" Kurt said and kept his fingers working on Blaine's hand as they made slow circles in the room. Kurt kept his eyes on Danny and Blaine did his best to focus on everybody else. They were in public after all and he had to do his job. He hated to admit it, but the stalker could be anyone, even someone from this room, and Kurt and Danny's safety was a lot more important than a few insects.

~ o ~

When the butterfly was finally willing to leave Blaine alone, it was past 5 and Danny was getting tired. He wanted to stay, of course, or better move in but once the words ice cream left Kurt's lips, Danny forgot the butterflies and rushed to the exit. 

"Kids are always like this?" Blaine asked.

"I don't know. Mine is" Kurt sighed.

"You're lucky" Blaine winked and grabbed Kurt's hand, making him walk faster after Danny who got almost lost in the crowd.

It turned out that Blaine loved ice cream just like Danny or even more. Kurt shook his head when they ordered themselves two bowls of ice cream with different toppings and his eyes grew large when he saw how quickly the ice cream disappeared. He just started eating his own frozen yoghurt with fruits when the others leaned back on their chairs, smiling in satisfaction.

"Okay, I have to admit, they make the best ice cream in the city" Blaine said.

"I told you" Danny said and turned to Kurt. "Can we have another one?"

"Not today" Kurt smiled. "You would get sick from all the sweets."

"Kurt..." Danny said slowly, giving Kur this best puppy eyes.

"No" Kurt said. "But we can take one more extra-quick look at the butterflies on our way home."

"Really?" Danny asked with shining eyes.

"Really?" Blaine asked at the same time, silently begging Kurt not to say yes.

"We will be very quick" Kurt promised.

He stood up and turned around, squeaking when he bumped into a tall person.

"Kurt?"

Kurt looked up at the blond man, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Jeremy! What are you doing here?" he asked.

"There's a butterfly exhibition I would like to see" Jeremy smiled. "Wow, I can't believe we ran into each other again."

"Yeah, what a coincidence" Blaine muttered.

"Have you seen the exhibition?" Jeremy asked, avoiding Blaine.

"Yes, but I promised Danny that we would see it again on our way home" Kurt said. "He really enjoyed it."

"Really?" Jeremy smiled as he crouched down in front of Danny. "How was it?"

Danny gulped nervously and took a step back, looking at Kurt.

"Can we go home now? I don't feel well" Danny said.

"What's wrong, honey?" Kurt asked in concern, Jeremy completely forgotten.

"I think I will be sick" Danny said.

"Why haven't you told me?" Kurt asked.

Danny blushed and looked down. Blaine understood quickly that Danny was just playing sick, he was perfectly fine, just didn't want to be near Jeremy and it seemed like Jeremy came to the same conclusion. Blaine saw a flash of anger in eyes as he smiled at him and stepped closer, squeezing Danny's shoulder.

"We should bring him home" Blaine said. "The crowd isn't good for him."

"Yeah, of course" Kurt nodded. He was too concerned for Danny's well-being to notice what was really going on.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow" Jeremy muttered as Kurt and the others left.

When Blaine turned back his head one more time to look at the man, Jeremy was still standing motionlessly and to Blaine's surprise, he was staring right at him. Jeremy tried to mask his true feelings but Blaine caught a glimpse of rage and something that seemed like insanity in his eyes. Blaine didn't like that look at all.

~ o ~

Later that night, when Kurt and Danny went upstairs to sleep, Blaine sat down in the living room, thinking about what he had seen at the mall. Just the fact that Jeremy had found them accidentally seemed too weird for him. Something wasn't right with the man but he couldn't tell if it was real or just because of his jealousy.

"You sitting here alone in the darkness is kind of creepy" Jeff said as he stepped out of their room.

"It was a long day. I want to be alone" Blaine muttered.

"What happened?" Jeff asked.

"We met Jeremy at the mall" Blaine said.

"The hot blond guy?" Jeff asked.

"He isn't hot" Blaine said.

"Don't be jealous. Kurt's completely yours" Jeff said.

Blaine nodded before he could stop himself, understanding Jeff's words too late.

"What? I don't know what you mean" Blaine said.

"Oh, come on. I'm not blind" Jeff smiled. "Besides, you're loud. One night when I passed Kurt's door, I heard interesting noises coming from there."

Blaine blushed, looking away.

"Hey, don't feel ashamed. I'm happy for you" Jeff said.

"You can't tell anyone" Blaine said hastily.

"I won't. Although I think you should tell the others and Danny" Jeff said.

"I don't want to risk Kurt's safety" Blaine replied.

"Blaine, we're your friends, you can trust us. Besides, you can't honestly think that you can keep it from them too much longer. They aren't blind, they will figure out sooner or later" Jeff said.

"I will think about it" Blaine said.

"Don't make it too complicated" Jeff said. "So what's with this guy?"

"Jeremy?" Blaine asked back.

Jeff nodded. Blaine leaned back on the couch and sighed, closing his eyes.

"Something's off with him" Blaine said. "I can't tell what it is but I know that something's wrong. I can feel it."

"Is it real or just your jealousy playing games with you?" Jeff smiled knowingly.

"I don't know" Blaine answered honestly. "But I know I can't leave it this way. I have to make sure he isn't dangerous."

"Why do you think he is? I thought he was out of the city when the attacks started" Jeff said.

"He was" Blaine nodded. "But still... It seemed more than a coincidence that he met us today and-and Danny hates him, too."

"Oh, so he's become our first suspect because a kid doesn't like him?" Jeff smiled.

Blaine rolled his eyes. Of course Jeff didn't believe him. He would have done the same.

"I know it seems crazy but something isn't right with him" Blaine said. "You should have seen his eyes. He seemed so... insane."

"Like a stalker?" Jeff raised an eyebrow.

Blaine nodded slowly.

"Where's Nick?" he asked quietly.

"Sitting in front of his computer. Where else could he be?" Jeff smiled.

"I have to talk to him" Blaine said and quickly got up from the couch.

"What? But why? Blaine!" Jeff called after him but Blaine was already halfway to the door. "If you talk to him, would you tell him that I'm sorry and I would like to discuss it?"

Blaine opened the door and looked back at Jeff, raising an eyebrow. The man just shrugged in response. Blaine shook his head and walked inside.

Nick was sitting in front of the computer as Jeff had said, watching the screen. When he heard the door open, he wiped his face but Blaine could still see the tears in his eyes. He sighed sadly as he sat down beside his friend.

"What did he do this time?" Blaine asked.

"He's such a jerk" Nick whispered.

"I know" Blaine smiled. "Tell me, so I can kick his ass."

"I took care of it. I slammed the door into his face. Again" Nick rolled his eyes.

"You should give him a chance. He's trying really hard" Blaine said.

"Not really" Nick replied. "He's still so immature. He thinks that sex is the solution for everything and can't see what I really need."

"Then talk to him" Blaine said.

"I tried" Nick said. "He promised that he would change but I'm not sure he can. He's hurt me so many times, I'm scared of trying because I'm not sure I can handle it again."

Blaine sighed sadly, putting his arms around Nick. His friends' struggles had started back in high school but no matter how many years had passed, they hadn't gotten closer to each other. Nick had changed a lot, he was ready for a real relationship and maybe start a family as well, but Jeff... He was still too childish and didn't realise the error in his ways. Blaine hated seeing them like this, unable to be together or apart, stuck in this hopeless situation.

"I wish I could help you" he said quietly.

"It's something only me and Jeff can solve" Nick said and took a deep breath. "What can I do for you?"

Blaine smiled. From the whole team, Nick worked the most and even in his heartbroken state, he could count on him.

"I need you to make a research on Jeremy Carter" Blaine said. "Not the usual things, it's already done and I didn't find anything. You have to dig deeper."

"You know I love challenge" Nick said, already typing on the keyboard.

"Tell me if you find something but don't tell anybody else" Blaine said.

"Yes, Sir" Nick nodded.

"Thank you, Nick" Blaine said and squeezed the man's shoulder. He wanted to talk more but Nick wasn't the kind of person who liked talking about his emotions. When he was hurt, he buried himself into work and appreciated when people left him alone. "If you need someone to talk to..."

"I won't but thanks" Nick said.

"Right" Blaine nodded and walked to the door. "You should really talk this through. And if you see a tiny chance that things could work between you two... you should try. He's an idiot sometimes but he really loves you."

Nick sighed and nodded but didn't reply. Blaine gave up after a while and left the room, knowing that he couldn't do more for his friends right now.

~ o ~

Blaine wasn't surprised that Danny was completely healed from his fake-sickness the next day and wanted to go to school but Kurt kept him home, just in case his condition worsened. Kurt cancelled his meeting with Jeremy, too, so he could stay home with his son and make sure Danny stayed in his bed and rested. 

It always amazed Blaine how easily the little boy could control Kurt and the man didn't even notice it. Probably that was what every child did to their parents, knowing how to make them worried. Kurt was an overprotective father, worrying way too much about Danny's well-being but this time, Blaine didn't mind at all. Danny was on his side in this and if it meant keeping Kurt away from Jeremy until Blaine found out more, he absolutely loved the idea.

Around 10, there was a soft knock on the front door and since Kurt was upstairs with Danny, watching cartoons in the boy's room, Blaine went to open the door.

"What are you doing here?" Blaine frowned when he came face to face with the man he hated the most.

"Hello, Blaine" Jeremy smiled. "I know Danny's sick, I talked to Kurt and we agreed that I should come over, so we can practice our song."

"Danny's sick" Blaine said seriously. "Don't you think it's more important than a freaking song?"

"We don't have too much time" Jeremy said. "Kurt has to perform this Saturday and we aren't ready."

"So Kurt knows about this?" Blaine asked incredulously. Kurt hadn't told him anything.

"Of course" Jeremy said. "Are you gonna let me in or should I wait for him outside?"

Blaine had a brief thought about slamming the door into the man's face and not tell Kurt that he was here at all but he knew how important that ball was for Kurt, so he sighed and stepped aside, letting Jeremy in.

"Thank you" he smiled.

"Stay here. I will call Kurt" Blaine said, nodding slightly towards Wes who was in the living room to watch Jeremy while he was gone.

"Oh, so there's a whole team watching Kurt and Danny" Jeremy said slowly. "Interesting."

"It's none of your business" Wes said. He didn't know much about this guy but he didn't trust anybody he didn't know.

"Of course not" Jeremy said, looking around.

Wes didn't like the way he looked over the room, as if he was searching for an exact thing, so he stepped closer to block Jeremy's sight.

"There's no need for this" Jeremy said.

Wes didn't move the slightest.

"Okay" Jeremy said slowly, raising his hands.

Kurt and Blaine came back a minute later. Kurt looked tired, he hadn't had too much sleep the previous night, worried that something was wrong with Danny. He still tried to smile as he walked down to greet Jeremy.

"Hey" he said. "Thanks for coming."

"Anytime" Jeremy smiled. "Oh, I brought you these and something for the little guy, too."

He handed Kurt the bouquet of roses, his eyes wandering up to Blaine's for a second to see his reaction but Blaine wasn't looking at Jeremy but the take-away box in his other hand. He knew that emblem. It belonged to the place where he, Kurt and Danny usually had pancakes. His blood ran cold as he slowly raised his head.

"I know this place" Kurt said, pointing at the box.

"They make the best pancakes in the city" Jeremy smiled. "I hope Danny will like it."

"I'm sure he will. He loves pancakes" Kurt said.

"And I will make sure he gets them" Blaine said, grabbing the box from Jeremy's hand. "Why don't you two go upstairs and start working?"

"Good idea" Jeremy nodded. "Kurt, are you ready?" 

"Of course" Kurt nodded, looking at Blaine carefully. Even he could tell that something was going on and it made him nervous. He sighed when Blaine nodded slightly and led Jeremy upstairs into the music room. 

When they were gone, Blaine turned to Wes.

"Where's Jeff?" Blaine asked.

"Sleeping. What's going on, Blaine?" Wes asked.

"Look at this" Blaine said, pointing at the box.

Wes raised an eyebrow. He had no idea what Blaine wanted to tell him.

"I brought Danny and Kurt to this place several times" Blaine explained.

"It must be a..."

"Coincidence?" Blaine cut in. "I don't think so. Tell Jeff about it and go upstairs. I want you two to watch the guy."

"Okay" Wes nodded. "And what are you gonna do?"

"I have to talk to somebody else" Blaine said.

~ o ~

Danny heard Kurt and Jeremy pass his room and walk into the music room, shutting the door behind them. He sighed in relief that he didn't have to see the man again and when he was sure they wouldn't come back, he got up from his bed and sat down to his toys. He wasn't sick at all, it was just a lie because he was scared of the man Kurt worked with and wanted to get away from him as soon as possible. 

But Kurt was more worried than he expected, so he had to stay at home for a day. It was good when Kurt was with him, they could finally spend some time together but he hated being alone in his room and he was bored. He wanted to go out and play in the garden but since Kurt thought he was sick, there was no way he could leave the house that day.

Suddenly, the door of his room opened and Danny's eyes widened. He got up from the ground and rushed back to his bed but he couldn't get under the comforter in time. He watched in silence as Blaine walked in, smiling knowingly. He was caught.

"Don't worry, I know you aren't sick" Blaine smiled.

"You do?" Danny asked.

"Of course. But I will keep your secret, I promise" Blaine said.

"Thank you" Danny said quietly.

"I would like to talk to you about something but you have to promise that you don't tell Kurt, at least not now" Blaine said.

"Why?" Danny frowned.

"I have an idea who his stalker could be but I don't have anything against him" Blaine explained.

Danny didn't seem like he understood what Blaine was talking about.

"The police can only arrest him if we can prove that he was who attacked you earlier" Blaine explained.

Okay, maybe it wasn't something he should have discussed with a 6-year-old. Danny's eyes widened in fear and tightened his arms around his knees.

"Hey, it's okay. Nobody will hurt you" Blaine said gently as he sat down closer to Danny. "We will catch the stalker soon, I promise."

"Is Jeremy the stalker?" Danny asked.

"I don't know" Blaine said slowly. He didn't want to scare Danny uselessly. "But I noticed that you don't really like him."

Danny nodded.

"Why is it so?" Blaine asked.

"He's scary" Danny said quietly.

"Did he say or do something that scared you?" Blaine asked.

"No, I just..." Danny sighed, looking down. "He's like Sebastian. He's a bad man."

Blaine nodded. So he wasn't the only one who noticed that something wasn't right with Jeremy.

"I will find out if something's wrong with him, okay?" Blaine said as he tightened his arms around Danny.

"Okay" Danny whispered.

~ o ~

Kurt rubbed his tired eyes. It wasn't like he didn't like singing but he was so tired, he could have fallen asleep right there and then. He needed almost a whole minute to realise that the room was silent and Jeremy was watching him curiously.

"I'm sorry" Kurt said.

"Long night?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah. I had to check on Danny a few times to make sure he was alright" Kurt said.

"Is he feeling better?" Jeremy asked.

"Yes. He doesn't have fever, I think he can go to school tomorrow" Kurt said.

"He doesn't really like me" Jeremy said.

"Why do you think so?" Kurt frowned.

"I don't know. Maybe he thinks I want to take his daddy away from him" Jeremy said.

"He knows that we're just friends" Kurt said.

"Kids are clever. They feel things we adults can't" Jeremy shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked.

"You know how I feel about you" Jeremy said.

"Jeremy..."

"I know" Jeremy said. "Not the right time."

"Things are so crazy around me right now" Kurt said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"I understand" Jeremy said. "Anything new from your stalker?"

"Nothing" Kurt sighed. "I haven't gotten anything from him since weeks."

"Maybe he gave up" Jeremy said.

"I hope so. This is too much for me and for Danny, too" Kurt said.

"Well, at least you have a few hot bodyguards keeping you safe" Jeremy smiled.

"Right" Kurt laughed.

"That guy... Blaine. He's in love with you" Jeremy said after a minute of silence.

"Why do you think so?" Kurt asked, blushing.

"It's obvious. I noticed how he looks at you. The question is if it's a one-sided thing or..."

"There's nothing between me and Blaine" Kurt said quickly, a little too quickly.

"Of course" Jeremy said. "You don't have time for guys when your life's so busy."

"That's right" Kurt nodded, looking down. He had promised Blaine that he wouldn't tell anybody about them, even if he wanted to. He had to act like there was nothing between them.

~ o ~

Luckily, Jeremy didn't stay too long and when he was gone, Kurt went back to Danny, leaving the Warblers alone. Blaine called everybody into the living room, so they could talk. It was time to share what he had found out with his friends.

"So, Blaine, are you gonna tell us why you're acting so weird?" Wes asked.

"I have a new suspect" Blaine said.

"Oh, no" Jeff rolled his eyes. "Blaine, I thought..."

"We talked about it, yes, but I'm right. Something's wrong with that guy" Blaine said.

"Who?" David asked, frowning.

"Jeremy Carter" Blaine said. "He's weird. He's hiding something and I will find out what it is."

"Why do you think he's the stalker?" David asked.

"Because he's a hot blond guy with a lot of money and happens to like Kurt" Jeff said.

"That's not that" Blaine said. "Okay, maybe it started with that but I found some strange things since then."

"Like?" Wes asked.

"Let's see... Since he and Kurt started working on that song, the threats stopped" Blaine started. "We met him at the mall accidentally and today, he brought Danny pancakes from our place. It must be him."

The looks his friends gave him told him that they weren't convinced at all.

"He certainly seems like a crazy stalker" David muttered sarcastically.

"Danny said that he's a bad guy. That he's like Sebastian" Blaine said. Why didn't they believe him?

"Oh, no. Please, don't tell me you talked to Danny about Jeremy" Jeff said.

"I did?" Blaine said hesitantly.

"Are you out of your freaking mind?" Jeff gasped.

"I noticed that he was scared of him. I had to know if..."

"Blaine, you can't do things like that. That's stupid!" Jeff said as he jumped up. "Danny's just a kid, somebody who went through horrible things in his life and who's living in fear right now. You can't scare him even more, not when you don't know what you're doing and you don't have any proof!"

"I had to..."

"No! You had no right to do that!" Jeff said. "Please, do me a favour. Leave Danny out of this, at least until you can prove that Jeremy's the man we're looking for. And you better don't tell Kurt what you did because if he finds out, he will never forgive for dragging his son into this."

Jeff stormed out of the room, slamming the front door after him.

"I will talk to him" Nick said quietly and stood up, walking to the door. If there was someone who could help Jeff calm down, it was him.

"You think I did something wrong?" Blaine asked as he turned to his remaining friends.

"Yes" Wes said without hesitation. "Jeff's right. It doesn't seem like you're right about Jeremy and it wasn't fair that you told Danny."

"He's just a kid, Blaine" David said quietly.

Blaine looked down. Maybe his friends were right and he shouldn't have told Danny anything. Now the boy thought that Jeremy was the stalker and if Blaine was wrong, he wouldn't be able to make things better. Danny would always be scared of Jeremy and it would be his fault.

On the other hand, Blaine's intuitions were never wrong. It wasn't the first time they dealt with a stalker and Blaine knew who it was before anybody else. He still felt that he was right and he would prove it, one way or another.

"Give me a few days" he said finally. "I will prove that I'm right."

He rushed out of the room, leaving his stunned friends in silence.

"You think he's right?" David asked after a while.

"I have no idea" Wes sighed. "Normally, I would trust him but you know how he feels about Kurt. I'm not sure he can think straight."

David sighed heavily. Sooner or later, they would find out if Blaine was right.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I'm sorry for the long wait, I was sick.  
> Enjoy!

A gentle hand on his shoulder pulled Jeff out of his thoughts. He looked up at the man behind him, smiling weakly.

"Hey" Nick whispered as he sat down beside him.

"Hey" Jeff said. He let himself get lost in Nick's eyes for another second but then turned away, looking down at the grass under him.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine" Jeff said, giving Nick a fake bright smile.

"I know you, Jeff" Nick said gently. "Something's bothering you."

"You mean beside our friend getting crazy?" Jeff asked.

"Exactly" Nick nodded. "It's not Blaine who's made you so angry."

Jeff sighed, shaking his head. Nick knew him too well.

"Bill called my mother" he said. "He wants to start over with her."

Nick grimanced. Bill had been the boyfriend of Jeff's mother for a few years when they had been in high school. He had been abusive, he had made Jeff's life hell for a long time before his mother finally broke up with him.

"So did your mother send him to hell?" Nick asked.

"She did" Jeff smiled. His mother was an amazingly strong woman, she was the best parent he could have. No wonder all of his friends loved her.

"Then what's wrong?" Nick asked.

"I know it's crazy but I'm scared. What if my mom changes her mind and they start over?" Jeff said quietly.

"It won't happen. Your mom is a clever woman, she wouldn't do that" Nick said, squeezing Jeff's hand. "Besides, if for some insane reason they would start over, he still couldn't hurt you anymore. You're not a kid anymore. You're a trained bodyguard and you could kick his ass without problem."

Nick was happy when his friend threw back his head and laughed. 

"Oh, yes. I would love to see his face when I break his nose" Jeff said.

"See? You don't have to be afraid of anything" Nick smiled.

Jeff slowly turned to look at the man beside him. Nick's face was so close to his that he could see the little wrinkles under his eyes and he unconsciously reached out to touch his cheek. Nick smiled and to his surprise, didn't pull away. 

"You always know how to make me feel better" Jeff said quietly.

"That's what friends are for, right?" Nick muttered, eyeing Jeff's lips.

"You're a lot more than a friend for me, you know that" Jeff said, glancing at the building behind them and when he was sure nobody was watching them, he grabbed Nick's neck and pulled him into a gentle kiss. 

If it had been up to Jeff, they would have stayed there forever but Nick was a lot more careful. He still remembered why they were here and broke the kiss too soon for Jeff's taste.

"We can't" Nick said.

"Why not?" Jeff frowned.

"Jeff, we have to keep Kurt and Danny safe. We can't... distract ourselves" Nick reasoned.

Jeff sighed, looking up at the sky. 

"Of course. Blaine can go and do whatever he wants but we can't have some fun" he said.

"Fun" Nick repeated slowly.

"Well, yeah" Jeff shrugged. "We're both gay and single, it's natural that we..."

Nick rolled his eyes and got up to his feet, turning back towards the door.

"What's wrong?" Jeff asked.

"You're a jerk" Nick said, walking back to the house.

"What? Nicky, but I..."

Nick walked inside and slammed the door behind him. Jeff sighed, shaking his head.

"And they say women are hard to understand" Jeff muttered. "What should I say then?"

~ o ~

The next day, Blaine asked Nick to accompany Kurt while he headed out to find out more about Jeremy. Luckily, Kurt was too busy with his album release to be suspicious and he accepted the change without question. Jeff went with Danny to school, which meant Wes and David stayed in the house. David went through a few files Nick had found for Blaine when he heard the loud voice of Wes coming from the bedroom. He sighed and walked out to see what made his friend so angry. 

"I told you, honey, I can't make it" Wes said, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah, I know how important this dinner is... Yeah, I get it."

David raised an eyebrow. Wes had a lot trouble with his girlfriend lately. She didn't like that they worked so much or that Wes was always away from her. Or that he didn't earn enough for her taste or anything else. She hated Wes's friends, too. The girl came from a rich family and when they had started dating back in high school, she had had great plans for herself and Wes. However, Wes had had other plans his girlfriend didn't really like.

"I'm doing this for us, Shauna" Wes said. "I want us to have a better life and yes, it means I have to work a lot."

David didn't hear Shauna's response but Wes leaned back against the wall, slamming his head into the hard surface.

"Well, I'm awfully sorry I couldn't get all of that for you and I'm not as talented as your father" Wes spat. "Maybe you should have gotten married to that doctor when you had the chance and not chose a loser like me."

Wes disconnected the call and threw his phone across the room. It hit the opposite wall and fell into pieces but Wes didn't seem to care. He sat down onto the ground, pulled up his knees and buried his face into his hands.

"What is it this time?" David smiled as he stepped inside. 

"Just the usual things. Poor girl can't live without her yacht" Wes rolled his eyes.

David smiled in amusement. He had no idea how Wes had ended up with Shauna. She was unbearable even on her best days.

"You should get her one for her birthday" David laughed. "So she wouldn't get bored while you earn the money for the bills."

Wes smiled, shaking his head. It wasn't really nice of them that they often talked out their girlfriends, making fun of them but it felt so good.

"Sometimes I don't understand why we are still together" Wes said, turning serious again. "I don't even love her anymore and she obviously isn't happy with me either."

"Just because you still haven't gotten her an engagement ring with a huge diamond" David said.

"And I sure as hell won't in the near future" Wes muttered.

They heard the front door open and they got into the living room just in time to see a rather angry looking Blaine walk towards them.

"So I guess you didn't find anything" Wes said.

"No. Absolutely nothing" Blaine groaned. "Mr Perfect seems really perfect."

"So it's over?" David asked.

"No" Blaine said. "I'm sure it's him and I will find something. It's just the matter of time."

"Blaine..."

"I will. Trust me" Blaine said. "We have to discuss Saturday night. Since it's a public event, I want you two to come with us."

"Okay" David nodded.

"What about Danny?" Wes asked.

"Kurt asked Rachel and Tina to come over" Blaine said.

"And you leave your gay friends with those chicks? So not fair, Anderson" Wes shook his head, smiling, but his smile disappeared from the look Blaine gave him. "Just kidding."

"I will watch Jeremy but I want you to stay in the background and look out for possible threats" Blaine said. "We're gonna leave at 7. It's a ball, so dress up properly."

His friends rolled their eyes as Blaine left the room, walking upstairs. 

"I hope we find that man soon because he's getting unbearable" David commented.

"I have to agree" Wes nodded.

~ o ~

On Saturday, all the three of them were getting ready for the ball. Blaine stopped the others' complains about the dress code with only one look but he agreed with them. He hated these formal clothes just as much as they did. He couldn't move freely in them and with his obsession for bow ties long gone, he couldn't find a single thing he enjoyed in looking like a pinguin.

When they were ready, they walked into the living room, waiting for Kurt. The man arrived a minute later, he was led down the stairs by Danny who held their interwoven hands high. Kurt looked absolutely breathtaking in his own clothes and he didn't look uncomfortable at all. He surely often attended such events and had no problem with formal clothes.

Danny led Kurt to Blaine and looked at the man seriously.

"Sir Blaine. You've proven your loyalty towards our family several times, so I allow you to accompany prince Kurt to the ball" Danny said.

"Uhm... Thank you..."

"King Daniel" Danny said and turned to Kurt. "I can be the king, right?"

"Of course" Kurt smiled.

"Promise me that you will defend the prince from danger, even if it costs your own life" Danny said.

"They played King Arthur at school" Jeff whispered to his friend.

"I swear that I will bring the prince back safely" Blaine said, playing along gladly.

"Then you can go" Danny nodded and let go of Kurt's hand. "But bring him home for curfew."

"Of course, Sir" Blaine bowed and took Kurt's hand, his shoulders shaking from suppressed laughter as he led the man outside.

"Cute, isn't he?" Kurt smiled.

"I love the kid" Blaine said.

There was a limo waiting for them in front of the house. Kurt had told Blaine earlier about it but the man didn't really like the idea. Of course, it was another present from Jeremy.

"Don't be like that" Kurt said, breaking the awkward silence after a few minutes. "Look, we have champagne."

"We can't drink" Wes said from the opposite seat.

"Right" Kurt sighed, putting the bottle back to its place. "Do you even drink sometimes?"

"Rarely" David answered. "Only when we don't work."

"And when our girlfriends allow it" Wes muttered.

"Or they don't know about it..."

"So we never drink" Wes finished.

"I see" Kurt said. It didn't seem like they wanted to talk about their private lives and Blaine wasn't in the mood to chat either, so Kurt turned back to the window, watching the lights of the city.

By the time they arrived, it looked like most of the guests were already there. Wes and David stayed behind to look around while Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand and led him towards the stage. He forced himself to smile when Jeremy pointed them out and started walking towards them.

"Kurt, you look amazing" Jeremy said. 

"You too" Kurt said politely.

"Hello, Blaine" Jeremy said as he turned towards the bodyguard. "It's refreshing to see you in something else than jeans and black shirt. I thought you only have one change of clothes."

"You're such a funny guy" Blaine said through gritted teeth.

"We should start soon" Jeremy said as he turned back to Kurt. "My speech will be the first, then Doctor Ramon will talk about the new machines they want to buy and you will perform after him. Are you ready?"

"Of course" Kurt said.

"Just as we practiced" Jeremy said. "They will love it."

"I hope so" Kurt smiled.

Jeremy went to talk to a few more people but a few minutes later, he got up the stage with a middle aged man who Kurt assumed was Doctor Ramon.

"Ladies and Gentleman" Jeremy said into the microphone, stopping for a second while everybody else went silent. "Thank you for joining us in these beautiful evening. As you all know, we're here for a reason. Our foundation – with the help of you of course – has saved so many lives and this night isn't different. This gentleman behind me, Doctor Ramon is the chief of the children's hospital you could have read about in the pamphlets you've gotten at the entrance. They need a new medical ventilator and some medical devices to save children they treat, but Doctor Ramon will talk about it soon. I'm asking you, while you're enjoying this party, don't forget to support our foundation, so we can buy the hospital everything they need. And to make this evening unforgettable for you, we have a special guest star as well. The brightest star of Carter Entertainments, Kurt Hummel!"

Kurt turned around and bowed as the crowd around them burst into applause. Blaine couldn't believe he could stay so calm and smile. He would have been so nervous if he had been in Kurt's place.

Jeremy ended his speech with a few words and stepped back to let Doctor Ramon talk about the machines they needed. Blaine didn't pay attention at all, he mostly kept his eyes on Jeremy and checked on the others a few times. 

"Kurt's gonna perform after this" he said, checking if the others could hear him through their ear clips. "Keep your eyes on the crowd."

"Got it" he heard their voices in his own ear. 

Blaine nodded and went with Kurt backstage. He watched as the staff helped him get ready for the performance and then followed him up to the stage, hiding behind the curtain. The doctor finished his speech soon and it was time for Kurt's song. Blaine had heard it several times and it was truly beautiful and perfect for a night like this, even if Kurt had written it with the help of Jeremy. The guests seemed to enjoy it, too. Kurt's voice was perfect like always and he put his emotions into the song, making everybody feel a little piece of the pain he was singing about. Blaine had to force himself not to enjoy Kurt's voice but focus on his job. 

His eyes landed on Jeremy who was watching Kurt just like everybody else. He surely didn't expect Blaine to watch him because he let his emotions show on his face, something between love and obsession. Blaine slowly shook his head. No matter what the others thought, no matter how long it was going to take him to find proof against him, he knew that Jeremy was the man they were looking for.

After Kurt's performance, Blaine started to get bored. Everything seemed fine which was good but he had to stay close to Kurt who went into endless talks with the other guests. He surely didn't enjoy answering the same questions over and over again but he did an excellent job because only about an hour later, Jeremy informed him that they had all the money the hospital needed. 

Kurt seemed more relaxed after the good news and agreed with Blaine to have something to eat once he was back from the bathroom. Blaine was waiting for him outside, drumming with his fingers on the wall behind him. He had no idea what took Kurt so long, maybe it wasn't even more than a few minutes and it only seemed more because of how much he hated this night...

"Hey, Blaine."

Blaine closed his eyes, took a deep breath and only then looked Jeremy who was walking towards him with two glasses in his hands.

"Kurt's in there?" Jeremy asked.

Blaine nodded slightly, not in the mood to have a conversation with the man.

"That's good" Jeremy nodded. "I brought you a drink."

"I don't drink" Blaine said, not taking the offered glass of dark liquid.

"Relax" Jeremy smiled. "It's just a light coctail."

Blaine still didn't move.

"You don't like me" Jeremy stated the obvious. 

"Don't you have something else to do?" Blaine asked.

"Nah, I thought we could talk" Jeremy said, taking a log gulp from his own drink. "I know you visited my company on Thursday."

"I did" Blaine nodded, not too surprised that Jeremy knew about it.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not angry with you" Jeremy smiled. "You did the right thing."

Blaine frowned. He had no idea what the hell was going on. 

"Yes, that's right" Jeremy continued. "You're Kurt's bodyguard, so you surely noticed how I look at him and it's your job to look after people like me."

"People who scare him?" Blaine asked.

"I would never do that to Kurt" Jeremy answered calmly. "Look, I have no problem with you coming after me, it's your job after all. But you should know, you won't find anything."

"You think you can hide your things so well?" Blaine raised an eyebrow.

"No. But I know you won't find anything because I'm not the man you're looking for" Jeremy said, stepping into Blaine's personal space.

Blaine was about to reach out and push the man back when the bathroom's door opened and Kurt stepped outside.

"Hey, guys" he said.

"Kurt, I was looking for you" Jeremy said. "Now that our job for the night is over, I thought we could relax. Would you like to dance?"

Kurt looked at Blaine hesitantly but when the man nodded, he turned back to Jeremy, smiling.

"Of course" he said.

Pressing the full glass into Blaine's hand, Jeremy grabbed Kurt's hand and led him to the dancefloor.

~ o ~

About half an hour later, Blaine watched Kurt and Jeremy dance, regretting his previous decision. It seemed like the band only played slow songs which meant that that bastard had Kurt in his arms all the time, too close for Blaine's taste. He was so angry that he didn't even see Kurt's concerned look as he watched him. 

The next one was a love song and Blaine turned his head away, hating that he couldn't be the one dancing with Kurt. His eyes landed on the glass Jeremy had left him and after a second of hesitation, he grabbed it and emptied the glass within seconds. It wasn't enough to make him drunk, so he could still focus on his job but distracted him for a moment, so he could get the idea of killing Jeremy with his bare hands out of his head.

It didn't take him long to realise what a bad idea it was. Maybe because he barely drank alcohol, he soon felt its effects on him. The music became too loud, the room too bright and he had to loosen his bow tie because it felt too tight. 

"Blaine, are you alright?" he heard David's voice through the ear clip.

"I need some fresh air. Could you..."

"Of course, just go" Wes replied.

Blaine nodded towards his friends and quickly made his way to the door. Once he was outside, he got rid of his bow tie and unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt. He felt a little dizzy and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes.

Suddenly, a hand appeared on his shoulder and he jumped, pushing the hand away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you" Kurt said.

Blaine looked up at him. For some reason, he wasn't too glad to see him, in fact he felt the anger from earlier rising again.

"Are you done dancing with him?" he asked, his sharp voice making Kurt take a step back from him.

"Yes" Kurt said. "Are you not feeling well? We can go home if you want to."

Blaine ran his fingers through his hair and smiled.

"You seem almost worried about me" he said.

"I am" Kurt frowned. "What's wrong, Blaine?"

"Are you really that stupid or just playing dumb?" Blaine asked as he pushed himself away from the wall, making his way to Kurt. "You danced with him shamelessly right in front of me and you didn't even care how it made me feel."

"What are you talking about? You agreed with it" Kurt said.

Blaine growled in frustration and grabbed Kurt's wrists, squeezing them painfully.

"Blaine..."

"You're just playing with me" Blaine said, tightening his grip on Kurt's wrist when the man tried to free himself.

"Blaine, stop" Kurt begged.

"You're trying to destroy me, right?" Blaine asked.

Kurt tried to pull away again but Blaine didn't let go of him. As the man pulled him forward again, Kurt hissed in pain. Even in this state, Blaine was a lot stronger than him and he was afraid that Blaine would break his arm if he fought too much. He started crying, his horrible memories from the past blinding him for a moment. He thought that he had left all of this behind but it looked like it wa shappening again.

"Blaine, please, you're hurting me" Kurt whispered, desperate to get the Blaine he knew back.

"It's nothing compared to what you make me feel" Blaine said.

Kurt cried out in pain as Blaine pulled him forward again but he was released a second later. He needed almost a whole minute to realise what happened. He found himself pushed back to the wall with David and Wes standing in front of him protectively and Blaine was now on the ground, with a hand on his left cheek. He was staring at them with wide eyes as if he just realised what he had done.

"Kurt" he said quietly as he jumped to his feet, taking a step forward. "Oh, my God. Kurt, I'm so sorry."

He took another step towards him but the scared look of Kurt made him stop.

"Please, forgive me. I-I don't know what's gotten into me but I swear I..."

"Blaine, stand back" Wes said seriously.

"I have to talk to him!" Blaine snapped and then turned back to Kurt. "Please, believe me. I didn't want to do this."

Kurt shook his head, pressing his hurt hand to his chest, crying silently.

"I have to..."

"I don't want you near me" Kurt said when he finally found his voice. "Not now. I'm sorry but... I-I can't."

"We will take you home" David said gently, putting an arm around Kurt. He nodded towards Wes and led Kurt to their car and away from Blaine. 

When they were gone, Wes closed his eyes for a second and took a deer breath. None of them had ever seen Blaine act like this but now wasn't the time to worry about his friend. They had to discuss this, all of them but first they had to get Kurt home safely and away from danger that in this case was Blaine.

"We will take him home and then I will come back for you. I suggest you to cool off by then" Wes said and turned to leave, too.

"Wes, I..."

"God, Blaine, how could you do this?" Wes asked as he turned back, shaking his head. "You know what? I don't care. We still have a job to do and Kurt's safety is more important than your... problems. We will talk about it in the morning but I think you should spend the night at home and leave Kurt alone for a while."

Blaine nodded sadly. Wes was completely right. It was all his fault and begging for Kurt to forgive him when he was still shocked wasn't a good idea.

"I will walk home" he said. "Just text me if he's alright."

Wes nodded and slowly walked away from him. How he got out of there later and managed to walk home, Blaine had no idea. He only remembered slamming the door shut behind him and rushing into his bedroom, crying uncontrollably. His head was finally clear but it just made things worse. He remembered all those stupid things he had said and the pain he had caused Kurt. It felt like a horrible nightmare. He had never thought that he was capable of this, that he could act like those monsters he tried to catch.

He was in great trouble and this time, he didn't know what he could do to make it better.


	18. Chapter 18

That was most certainly the weirdest night of Blaine's life. Once he went home and fell into his bed, he started crying and his crying somehow turned into a depressed karaoke night which ended around 3 in the morning when one of his neighbours had enough and almost broke his front door in his haste to shut Blaine up. Luckily for the man, Blaine wasn't aggressive anymore but the short conversation made him cry again, so he shortly slammed the door into the man's face and went back into his room.

After a while, the pain he felt in his chest seemed to lessen and he became happy. Like really-really happy, although he had no idea why he felt that way. There was nothing funny in the situation. He had hurt Kurt, there was a chance that he would never see him again... Okay, for some reason, even the thought of being away from Kurt seemed funny. 

After the funny part came the hotness and hunger. Blaine quickly got out of his clothes, opening every window, because he felt like he was burning inside. He took a quick shower and went through the kitchen, eating everything he found. Well, almost everything. He decided that the bread he had left there weeks ago didn't look too well to eat. About half an hour and several bags of chips later, he walked back into his room and tiredly fell onto his bed. He was so tired that he fell asleep within a minute.

"Oh. My. God."

When Blaine came to, his head spinning and throbbing, he slowly turned to his side, afraid of throwing up. He was shaking and felt like he had been hit by a truck. Every single part of his body was in pain and he had no idea where he was or what had happened to him.

"Finally. I've been trying to wake you for almost twenty minutes" a familiar voice said.

"Jeff?" Blaine groaned, opening his eyes slightly.

"Come on, Blaine, it's time to wake up" Jeff said and knelt down onto the bed to help Blaine sit up.

"You're here?" Blaine asked, reaching out to touch Jeff's face. "You're here."

"How much alcohol did you have last night?" Jeff asked, slowly shaking his head.

"I don't remember" Blaine answered.

"Unfortunately, everybody else does" Jeff sighed.

"Why are you here? And why am I here?" Blaine asked, desperately trying to remember. 

"You really don't remember?" Jeff asked.

"No" Blaine said miserably. "We weren't supposed to drink, we could have risked Kurt and Danny's safety."

Jeff sighed, shaking his head again. They all knew about the previous night and what Blaine had done. He had been sent here for Blaine, so they could discuss what to do now but it was hard when their leader didn't remember a thing.

"You were the only one who drank last night" Jeff explained, hoping that it would train Blaine's memory. "I guess you had a pretty large portion because you went all psycho and almost hit Kurt and Wes."

"What?" Blaine gasped. "God! Are they alright?"

"Not really" Jeff admitted. "Look, Blaine, we will discuss everything but I have to get you back to Kurt's place before he gets home. You screwed up everything last night and I don't think he wants to see you anytime soon."

"No, no, no" Blaine said, burying his face into his hands. This couldn't be happening. "I have to call him."

"No" Jeff said sternly when Blaine reached for his phone. "Not now. Can you walk? You should have a shower before we leave."

Blaine nodded and stumbled out of the bed. Some of the things from the previous night was coming back but he needed more time to think and find out what he had done.

~ o ~

By the time they finally reached Kurt's house, Blaine was mostly back to normal. He remembered almost everything from the previous night, the ball, Kurt, Jeremy, all the stupid things he had done at home after Wes had sent him away. And he had a very good explanation for the happenings. After remembering what he had done to Kurt, it didn't take him long to find the reason why he had acted so differently. He knew that he wasn't an aggressive person, sometimes he beat the bad guys but he would never hurt someone willingly, especially someone as important as Kurt. There was only one explanation for his behaviour: he had been drugged and he knew exactly who had done that to him. It must have been Jeremy, he had been the only one who had had the chance to drug him and if Blaine was right – and after all of this, he knew that he was right – he had had his reasons to get the bodyguard out of the way. Blaine had gotten too close to the truth and Jeremy wanted him out of the picture. 

It didn't mean he was the only one to blame. Blaine had known that he couldn't trust the man, so accepting a drink from him was the stupidest thing he could do. He should have been more careful. It was just luck that Wes and David had found them before Blaine could do something worse, and although nobody had gotten badly hurt, Blaine was afraid that his mistake would ruin his chances with Kurt forever. He knew better than anyone what Kurt had been through in the past and the last thing he needed was his boyfriend endangering him again. 

Blaine sighed and reached for his phone as he got out of the car but he had to remind himself that Jeff had taken it away back in his apartment and he didn't seem like he wanted to give it back anytime soon. Blaine wasn't okay with it, not at all, especially since Kurt wasn't here, so he couldn't talk to him and he wanted to make sure that he was fine, but he didn't want to make this any worse for himself. He had to get Kurt's and his friends' trust back, so he had to play by their rules.

"Sit down" Wes said simply when they stepped inside, motioning towards the couch.

"Where's Kurt?" Blaine asked immediately.

"Danny's friend has a birthday party today, don't you remember?" Jeff asked.

Blaine sighed, rubbing his forehead. Yeah, it was Mandy's birthday and he was supposed to go with Kurt and Danny. 

"I guess the others are with them now" Blaine said slowly.

"Yes" Wes nodded. "Now let's..."

"How's Kurt?" Blaine interrupted.

"He could have had worse" Wes answered.

Blaine raised an eyebrow, waiting for his friend to continue.

"You didn't break any bones but both of his arms are bruised" Wes said. "He lied to the doctor, so you aren't in trouble."

"I wouldn't say that" Jeff commented.

"Guys, I know what it looks like but what happened yesterday wasn't my fault" Blaine explained. "Jeremy..."

"Blaine, would you stop this?" Jeff asked. "I know you hate the guy but this time you went too far and almost got all of us fired."

"It wasn't my fault..."

"It was" Wes said quietly. "I talked to Kurt this morning and he doesn't want to fire us."

"He's a good man" Blaine smiled.

"He is" Jeff agreed. "That's why we all want the best for him and Danny."

"What does it mean?" Blaine frowned.

Wes and Jeff looked at each other, both of them waiting for the other to talk. In the end, Wes lost his patience and turned back to Blaine.

"We think that you should take a few days off, for everybody's sake" Wes said. "When I talked to Kurt, he made it clear that he doesn't want to see you anytime soon."

"What?" Blaine gasped.

"You know how busy he is with the theater and everything" Wes explained. "Right now, he wants to focus on his job and we all agreed that it would be the best for him if you weren't around."

"You want to kick me out?" Blaine asked.

"Consider it as a holiday" Jeff said.

"I won't go on holiday, not now when Kurt needs me the most" Blaine said heatedly. Why couldn't they understand that he only wanted the best? He was so close to catch Jeremy...

"Blaine, I know it affects you the most but you can't forget that you aren't the only member of this team" Wes said.

"But this is my team!" Blaine said angrily. "I started this business, I let you work for me, and this is what I get in return?"

"So you would get all of us fired because of your craziness?" Jeff, who was mostly on Blaine's side, almost shouted into his face. He was still angry with his friend for being so stupid and ruining his relationship with Kurt. "Right, you have nothing to lose. You don't have a family to take care of but we do. Nick's sister can't afford those expensive medicines without her brother's help. I have to support my mom or else she would lose her home! David and Wes have their girlfriends and I'm sure they don't want to get stuck where they are. There're people counting on our help and we can't lose a job like this."

"I have nothing to lose?" Blaine asked in disbelief. "You from all the people should know how I feel. Kurt's not just a fuck for me, Jeff. He and Danny are my family or at least I want them to become once. I've never felt like this before and I'm not sure I would survive without them."

"You should have thought about this earlier" Jeff said.

Blaine felt like he was punched in his face. Anybody could have said this, he wouldn't have been too upset. But Jeff... He wasn't just a friend for him. They had grown up like brothers, he had always been there for Blaine. They were supposed to support each other, no matter what happened.

"Give Kurt a few days" Wes said, putting a hand on Blaine's shoulder. "You need to cool off and he needs some time away from you, so he can get over it. Just leave him alone for a little while."

Blaine nodded, although he didn't agree with the others. They knew nothing at all. But it seemed like he was alone and there was nothing he could do to make things better.

"I can give you a ride home" Wes said.

"No, I will just walk home" Blaine said, turning away from his friends. He had to get away from them, he just needed to be alone for a while.

"Wow, that was hard" Wes sighed when Blaine closer the door behind him, turning to a very quiet Jeff. "Are you alright?"

"No" Jeff said shortly and before Wes could say anything, he fled into the camera room.

Wes sat down onto the couch, rubbing his forehead. He had no idea how they would fix this.

~ o ~

Kurt felt like an outsider as he watched the kids and their parents enjoy the party. It was certainly a good one with everything a child could wish for: clowns, ponies, Mandy's favourite singer, music and delicious food. Mandy's parent must have paid a whole fortune for this party and the other guests clearly had a great time but for Kurt... It was just another horrible event he had to go through. Usually he wasn't like this. Although he didn't really fit into the perfect world of the parents of Danny's schoolmates, he couldn't talk about education and the importance of private lessons for hours and he certainly didn't agree with most of the others' opinion about how to raise a little genius because he didn't think it was the only thing that could make a parent proud, but most of the times he was able to join these conversations and smile, play another perfect father in the perfect world of the perfect upper class families.

But this time all he could do was check the time on his phone in every ten seconds and wish that for some mysterious reason, the party would end sooner and they could finally go home. He should have paid attention because Danny's birthday was just a few weeks away and he had to do something similar, too. These parties were like... status symbols. Everybody wanted the same for their kids and if somebody didn't take part of it, the kids at school would pick on those parents' children sooner or later. Some of them was normal like Mandy but the others... Sometimes Kurt didn't know how Danny survived in such a horrible environment.

But instead of joining one of the small groups of parents, he stayed in the background, away from everybody, with an untouched piece of cake and his bodyguards who watched him in concern. The only one who seemed to enjoy the day was Danny who – as the best friend of the birthday girl – quickly became the center of attention and he clearly enjoyed it. 

Kurt watched his son ran around the room with his friends, everybody else completely forgotten. He wished he could be as carefree as Danny right now. The boy had been so excited because of the party that he hadn't noticed Blaine's absence. He had only asked Kurt once about him but the man had quickly changed topic. It was so hard to talk about him, even thought he couldn't get Blaine out of his head since the previous night. 

Wes and David had brought him to the doctor to check his injuries and make sure he didn't have anything major. The doctor had seen immediately what could have caused his injuries and wanted to call the police but Kurt had quickly come up with a lie, so at least the authorities hadn't been involved. Once they had gotten back home, he had escaped into his room with some painkillers and sedatives but he hadn't taken the pills in the end. He had been awake the whole night, thinking about Blaine and himself. 

Although he wanted to avoid the topic for a while, Wes had wanted to talk to him in the morning. The Warblers must have had a meeting during the night but Wes hadn't told him too much. Kurt had to decide what he wanted to do and although he hadn't known what to do with Blaine, he had been sure that he wanted the Warblers to stay. He had become comfortable around the guys and they were a good team, he wouldn't have fired them because of Blaine. They had agreed that Blaine would take a few days off which seemed to be the perfect solution for Kurt. He had no idea what to do now and some time away from his bodyguard wouldn't hurt, that was sure.

It felt way too familiar. He had been through this once, when he had been young and foolish, when he had believed that people could change and miracles could happen. Now, years later... He wasn't that sure anymore. His thoughts were driving him crazy. Rationally, he knew what he should do. Break up with Blaine, fire him and never see him again. That would be the best for all of them. Danny would miss him for a while, maybe hate Kurt for doing this to the man but he would forget Blaine sooner or later and they could move on. On the other hand, his heart told him quite the opposite. That Blaine wasn't like this and it would't happen again. That he should forgive him and forget the whole thing, live his life and enjoy the happy moments Blaine brought into his life.

Kurt sighed, burying his face into his hands. Why was it so hard? Why couldn't somebody tell him what to do? It was the hardest decision on his life. Whatever he decided to do, it would affect at least three people's lives, and he didn't want to take the risk of ruining anything. But whatever he did, somebody would get hurt. Ah, his thoughts were driving him crazy.

"Kurt?"

No, not this, too.

"Hey, Jeremy" Kurt said quietly as he looked up at the man.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to be here" Jeremy smiled.

"Me neither" Kurt said. "Mandy is Danny's friend."

"Oh, I see" Jeremy nodded. "And I'm the godfather."

"Really?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, Mike and I are friends since high school" Jeremy explained. "Is there something wrong?"

"No. I'm perfectly fine" Kurt lied.

"Are you sure? You left yesterday without a word and now you're just sitting here all alone" Jeremy said.

"I'm tired" Kurt said. "I'm sorry I left so quickly yesterday, I... I had to take care of something."

"You're always so busy" Jeremy smiled as he grabbed a chair and sat down beside Kurt. "Speaking of business, we have a lot to discuss. I know the time isn't right but you should meet me tomorrow, so we can discuss the details of your tour."

"Tour?" Kurt asked in confusion.

"Of course!" Jeremy said. "We have to make money of your new album."

Kurt sighed again, looking away. He was so tired of everything.

"I don't think I want to go on tour this year" he admitted.

"Why not?" Jeremy frowned.

Kurt took a deep breath. He had been thinking about this for a very long time but now that he went through so many things, he really felt like he deserved that break. He was always so tired and he couldn't focus on his job anymore. Not to mention Danny grew up without him because he never had enough time for the boy.

"I can't do this anymore" Kurt admitted. "When I became famous, I took on everything that came into my way and while doing so, I somehow forgot what was really important for me. I'm barely at home, I don't have freetime at all and I never see Danny. It shouldn't be like this."

"I understand, I really do, but are you sure that's what you want? It won't be too good for your career" Jeremy said.

"I know" Kurt nodded. "But the money isn't worth it. I need a few months off, spend some quality time with Danny. I'm afraid if I don't do this, he will grow up without me. I have to be there for him, Jeremy. I'm all he has."

"Well, I think I can talk to the management to give you some time" Jeremy said. "You have to come back for the new season anyway and your album isn't going anywhere, so..."

"Thank you" Kurt said gratefully. "I really appreciate it."

"Nah, it's nothing" Jeremy said. "Take your time, go on holiday. The little guy deserves it."

Kurt looked at Danny who was playing with a few classmates.

"He does. He's a good kid" Kurt smiled. "Maybe I will take him to France this year. He always wanted to see Paris."

"That's an amazing idea" Jeremy smiled. "I know a great hotel there, if you need help with that..."

"I will manage on my own" Kurt interrupted.

Jeremy smiled again, shaking his head.

"You're a special man, you know" he said. "God, I will miss you."

"I will be back in no time. It's just about summer, Danny has to be back for the next school year anyway" Kurt said.

"But I won't" Jeremy said quietly. "That's what I wanted to tell you on the first place. I'm leaving."

"What?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, you know that my father wants to open a new office in Los Angeles" Jeremy started.

"Of course" Kurt nodded. That was all he could hear about back in the studio.

"And I'm the CEO of that department" Jeremy said sheepishly.

"Wow. That-that's amazing, Jeremy! Congratulations!" Kurt said.

"Thank you" Jeremy smiled. "I brought the tickets for your opening night but it looks like I have to leave sooner. I guess I have to get used to living without the Kurt Hummel magic."

Kurt looked down, blushing. He always became a little uncomfortable when Jeremy started talking about him like this.

"It's not for forever, right? You will still come back eventually" Kurt said.

"I hope so" Jeremy said.

"Call me when you're in the city. We can have lunch together or something" Kurt said.

"Definitely" Jeremy beamed. "Uhm... I have to go back..."

"Go. I will be fine" Kurt said.

"Goodbye, Kurt" Jeremy said as he stood up.

"Goodbye, Jeremy" Kurt said.

As the man left, Kurt sighed in relief. He didn't hate Jeremy but he knew that he was partly responsible for his misery, even if he didn't want to hurt him. Jeremy was a nice guy but he wanted more than Kurt, so there could never be real friendship between them. Kurt had said no so many times and he felt bad every single time when he saw the sadness in Jeremy's eyes. It was the best for both of them. Maybe with Jeremy gone, Blaine would turn back to normal and it would help Kurt make the right decision.

He glanced at his bodyguards and then back at Danny. Jeremy had distracted him for a few minutes but now that he was alone, his thoughts wandered back to Blaine immediately and he became sadder than before. How things would get better between them again, he had no idea. But one thing was sure, something had to happen soon because Kurt wasn't sure how much more he could bear before falling apart.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

"Where's Blaine?"

Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing himself for his next lie. Since they had gotten back from the party and the bliss of the event had been gone, Danny had started asking more and more about Blaine's whereabouts. Kurt had been prepared or he had thought that he was. But no matter what explanation he had come up with, Danny hadn't let the matter drop and had even tried to get the truth out of the other Warblers who had wisely guided the little guy back to his father. So here they were again, sitting on the couch three days later, and Kurt had no idea what to tell Danny.

He knew, of course, that his best option was telling him the truth. Danny was just a kid but he wasn't stupid, he knew that something was going on between Kurt and Blaine and he surely wouldn't leave Kurt alone until he get a proper explanation. But he was just a 6-year-old boy who knew so little about the world... He wouldn't have understood. It would just ruin the image he had built up in himself about Blaine and Kurt didn't want that. 

But he didn't understand the current situation either. When their relationship had started, Kurt had tried to involve Blaine in most of their activities, so Danny could get used to his presence. Although Danny hadn't been against them being together anymore, he hadn't wanted to risk anything. He had wanted Danny and Blaine become friends, so once they didn't have to hide anymore, they could have lived happily together.

Kurt swallowed, fighting back his tears. Danny wasn't the only one who missed having coffee together, making dinner or breakfast together, watching stupid TV shows together... He didn't even realise that Blaine had been so involved in their life. And he missed him so badly.

"I told you, he had to leave for a few days because... because of some family issues" Kurt said quietly, looking away.

"What does it mean?" Danny asked.

"It means that he has to take care of some things" Kurt explained.

"What things?" Danny asked.

Kurt sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Look, Danny. There're things in Blaine's life he doesn't want you to know about. You have to respect it" Kurt said, not really knowing what to say. It wasn't fair that he lied to him but he thought it would be the best for Danny.

"Is he coming back soon? Will he be here for your opening night?" Danny asked. They had agreed that Blaine would stay with Danny and watch the show together.

"I'm not sure" Kurt admitted. He didn't want to give Danny false hope because he still wasn't sure what he wanted to do.

"Are you sad because he isn't here?" Danny asked knowingly.

Kurt didn't answer. He sighed heavily again and pulled the boy closer, kissing his forehead. Yeah, he missed Blaine so badly. He wanted nothing but to forget that night and go back to his life where he and Blaine were happy together.

~ o ~

Nick suppressed a yawn as he stepped into the kitchen. Days seemed a lot longer since Blaine wasn't with them and they had to take longer shifts. It wasn't good for any of them. They were all tired and frustrated, especially since there was no track of Kurt's stalker and it didn't seem like they could catch him in the forseeable future. Weeks had gone by without a single letter and for an outsider it could look like the man had given up. But Nick knew this kind of people very well. They never gave up, not until they got what they wanted. So the silence wasn't a good sign, on the contrary actually. It meant that something was coming, something they weren't prepared for.

And now they were a man down. He understood the others' reasons, especially after seeing how horrible Kurt looked, but he didn't think keeping Blaine away was the best they could do. He had the most experience of all of them and Blaine's intuitions were mostly perfect. He had caught so many of these guys, he knew what signs to look for. They needed Blaine. 

He sighed and went to make himself a coffee, completely lost in his thoughts. The others didn't believe Blaine but Nick wasn't that convinced. He had seen that Jeremy guy the other day and how he looked at Kurt. There was something wrong with the man, even if they didn't find anything against him. The way he had looked at them, carefully and suspiciously, told Nick that he had something to hide. 

Also, Blaine wasn't the kind of men who avoided his job and got drunk and he certainly wasn't someone who hurt his loved ones. Sure, Blaine liked parties but only when he didn't work. He took his job very seriously, so it seemed so unbelievable that he got drunk and went crazy, trying to hurt Kurt. Nick had a bad feeling that something else was going on and again, he had to consider the option that Jeremy was behind this. If he was right and he became more and more convinced that he was, the man had to be smarter than the usual criminals they dealt with.

"What are you doing here alone, love?"

Nick shrieked in surprise as arms sneaked around him from behind and without thinking, he grabbed the other man's arms, kicked his leg and when the grip on him loosened, he threw the other man onto the ground. Jeff hissed in pain as he landed on the cold floor, his head barely missing the leg of the table.

"Wow, somebody's anxious" Jeff muttered.

"Are you out of your freak mind?" Nick asked, breathing heavily. "Why on Earth would you sneak behind someone like this? And... wait, you called me love?"

Jeff smiled and got back to his feet.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

Nick rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"What are you doing here, Jeff?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep and I saw you were here alone, so I thought..." Jeff shrugged. "What's wrong, Nick? I can see that something's bothering you."

Nick sighed and pulled out a chair for himself. A second later, Jeff joined him, taking a sip of Nick's coffee without asking him. He knew that Nick wouldn't mind.

"You make the best latte in the city, do you know that?" he asked.

"Of course" Nick replied and took his mug back from Jeff. 

"So what's wrong?" Jeff asked.

"The silence" Nick answered.

Jeff frowned in confusion.

"It's past eleven. Most people are asleep" he said.

Nick smiled, shaking his head. Jeff was so oblivious... well, most of the time.

"I didn't mean that" Nick replied. "I'm talking about Kurt's stalker. He hasn't left anything for him for weeks."

"Maybe he gave up" Jeff said.

Nick looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What? Sometimes we might have simple cases" Jeff said.

"We do but this one is different" Nick said. "This man is a lunatic. He followed Kurt everywhere, sent him dozens of messages, broke in the window with a brick..."

"And now he's gone" Jeff said.

"I don't think so" Nick shook his head. "People like him never give up until they get what they want. You of all people should know that."

Jeff unconsciously pressed a hand to his stomach where the scar he had gotten two years earlier was. It had begun as a simple case as well, just a few innocent letters, nothing major, but in the end, Jeff had almost died while protecting their client.

"You think he's still after Kurt?" he asked seriously.

"I do" Nick nodded without hesitation. "I have a bad feeling. This man's smart. He avoids cameras, never leaves a fingerprint or anything we could use to find him. And he seems to know everything, not just about Kurt, about us, too. He knows how our system works and I wouldn't be surprised if he knew about our personal lives as well."

"Is this about Blaine?" Jeff asked slowly.

Nick sighed and stood up, pacing nervously.

"Something isn't right here, Jeff. You know Blaine. We all know him. He takes his job very seriously, he would never make a huge mistake like getting drunk while working and especially wouldn't hurt someone he loves" Nick said.

"Jealousy can change people" Jeff muttered.

"Oh, come on. We're talking about Blaine and not your mother's boyfriend" Nick said in frustration. "Is it why you are so angry with him?"

"Of course not" Jeff said, looking away.

"Jeff."

"Fine! Maybe a little" Jeff admitted.

"You have to talk to him" Nick said.

"I don't want to" Jeff said.

"It doesn't matter, you have to make it up" Nick said.

"Thanks, but I think we're fine this way" Jeff said stubbornly. "Why should I take the first step? He hasn't called me either and he's not exactly innocent in this incident."

"He's your best friend" Nick said. "Come on, I know you miss him."

Jeff avoided Nick's eyes as long as he could. Nick had those beautiful, large brown eyes and when he was begging like this, Jeff could never say no to him. But in the end, he looked up and at the same second, he nodded. He could never say no to Nick. 

"Very good" Nick smiled. "Oh, and don't forget to ask him about the night of the ball. I'm starting to think that Blaine might be right."

"Not you, too" Jeff rolled his eyes. "Nick, that guy can't be the stalker."

"That's the only lead we have" Nick shrugged.

"He's leaving, you said that yourself. Why would he leave if he knew what happened between Kurt and Blaine? He has better chances than ever to get Kurt. It doesn't make any sense" Jeff said.

"I don't know, okay? But I think we should trust Blaine in this" Nick said.

"Nick, I love that you trust people so easily but believe me, Jeremy can't be the guy we're looking for. Why would he come up with such a twisted plan?" Jeff asked.

"Just talk to Blaine" Nick said. "I will make another research on this guy."

Jeff sighed, shaking his head. Sometimes Nick could be so stubborn.

~ o ~

Jeff still didn't call Blaine the next day. He was thinking about it a lot, he even pulled out his phone to dial the familiar number a few times but in the end, he stopped, convincing himself that it could wait and it was the best for all of them if Blaine stayed away for a little while.

It was his turn to go with Danny to school, something he didn't mind at all. He liked the kid and although his classes were mostly boring, it was still better than sitting in the house, waiting for something to happen. After his classes, Danny silently walked to the car, seemingly lost in his thoughts. He was unusually quiet since the day of the ball, only talking to him or any other member of the team when he asked about Blaine. He must have known that something was wrong between him and his father.

"Do we have to go home?" Danny asked as he climbed inside.

"Where else should we go?" Jeff asked.

"To the park" Danny said, his eyes telling Jeff that the boy wanted something.

"Why don't you just tell me what you want?" Jeff suggested.

Danny sighed sadly.

"Where's Blaine?" he asked.

"Uhm... I think you should ask Kurt about him" Jeff said hesitantly. He had no idea how much Kurt had told Danny.

"I tried but he doesn't want to tell me anything" Danny said. "He said that Blaine had... trouble with his family? I didn't really understand. But I think he lied to me."

"Why would Kurt lie to you?" Jeff asked, trying to buy himself time. They shouldn't have this conversation at all.

"I'm not stupid" Danny said. 

"I see. But you should ask your dad about Blaine. It's their business after all" Jeff said.

"Is there something wrong with them?" Danny asked in concern.

Jeff groaned, rubbing his forehead. He said too much.

"Look, it's not something I should tell you" Jeff said.

"Please" Danny said with teary eyes. "I miss Blaine and Kurt's so sad without him. I want him to come back."

Big, teary brown eyes. So not fair.

"Fine" Jeff sighed in the end. "But you can't tell Kurt that you know this from me. He would fire me if he found out."

"Deal" Danny smiled.

"You little devil" Jeff shook his head as he started the car, coming up with a kid-friendly version of the happenings.

~ o ~

Danny sneaked into Kurt's room that night, determined to make things better between him and Blaine. Jeff had told him a few things but he knew that it wasn't everything. He had tried to get the whole story out of Jeff but the man had been too stubborn, he had avoided Danny's questions and had acted like he hadn't heard him at all. What he had gathered from his conversation with Jeff was enough for him to know that Kurt and Blaine had had some sort of a fight and now Blaine was gone because of it and not because of his family. He didn't understand why Kurt had lied to him, Danny wasn't a small kid anymore, he would have understood. 

As he walked inside, he found Kurt sitting on the edge of the bed, hugging a pillow tightly and completely lost in his thoughts. Even from this distance, Danny could see that he was crying. It wasn't like when he had been crying because of Sebastian or at least Danny didn't remember seeing him so heartbroken. Kurt had cried a lot back then but he had seemed scared and not so sad. No wonder, Blaine wasn't like Sebastian. Even when Danny had tried to get rid of him, Blaine had never hurt him like Sebastian had done.

"Kurt?" he said quietly as he stepped forward.

Kurt quickly turned away, wiping his eyes but it was too late. His eyes were puffy and red from crying so much and he looked sick. He was pale and looked thinner than before. It was time to do something because Danny didn't want him to be sick. He smiled weakly and walked to Kurt to hug him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kurt asked.

"Where's Blaine?" Danny asked.

Kurt looked down and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Are you mad at him?" Danny asked.

"Why do you think I am?" Kurt asked as his cheeks turned scarlet.

"I'm not stupid" Danny said, rolling his eyes. Why did he have to repeat the same things over and over again? He thought that adults were smarter than this.

"You're right" Kurt said, hugging the boy. "Blaine and I... well, we need some time away from each other."

"Why?" Danny asked.

Kurt didn't answer. How could he? It wasn't something he wanted to discuss with Danny.

"Did he hurt you?" Danny asked.

Still no answer.

"Did he apologise?" Danny asked.

"He did" Kurt nodded in the end.

"Then everything is fine!" Danny said happily. "I was angry with you too when you left me in the zoo because of your work but you apologised and we ate pancakes! See, there's nothing wrong!"

Kurt smiled weakly, shaking his head. If things could be as simple as in Danny's mind...

"You're sad because Blaine isn't here" Danny stated, turning serious again. "He has to come back. You said that he would come with us to your opening night."

"I know" Kurt said quietly. He had promised it but things had changed since then.

"I miss him" Danny said after a while.

Kurt looked down at him and almost started crying again when his eyes met Danny's. He should have thought about the boy's feelings when he had jumped into his relationship with Blaine. He should have thought that it could end badly someday and how it would affect Danny. 

But maybe this time it wasn't too late for them. Maybe he should listen to the boy this time and try to make things better between him and Blaine.

"I miss him, too" he whispered.

~ o ~

Things couldn't get any worse. It had been days but Kurt still wasn't talking to him and he was still alone in his apartment, lying in his bed, eating chocolate and chips and listening to Celine Freaking Dion. Yeah, the apocalypse was coming.

In the first two days, Blaine had tried to continue his research and find something against Jeremy but his thoughts had always wandered back to Kurt and he hadn't been able to do anything useful. So in the end, he had chosen the worst thing he could do: walked into the nearest supermarket, bought up as much unhealthy food he could carry home alone, locked the door and sank into his misery. The apartment was so quiet, he went through his CDs for some music when he found the album of Celine Dion, something he had gotten from Jeff as a joke and had never planned to open. But here he was, listening to a sappy love song, waiting for someone or something to turn back time and don't let him do the biggest mistake of his life again instead of doing something himself to get Kurt back.

There was a knock on his door and Blaine lifted his head, considering if he should open it. It was surely his neighbour again who had threatened Blaine to call the police the other day because he was tired of listening to Blaine's heartbroken voice in the middle of the night. He heard it again, this time somewhat louder. He groaned and got up from his bed, slowly making his way towards the door. He so didn't want to see that guy again. He just wanted Kurt. God, he had never thought that a broken heart could hurt so much. How could people survive this?

"Hey."

Blaine almost slammed the door into the man's face in surprise. It wasn't the neighbour, not at all. But... could it be real? Or was it just a dream?

"Uhm... may I come in?" Kurt asked uncertainly.

"You're here" Blaine muttered.

"Yeah" Kurt smiled. 

"But how?" Blaine asked, still not believing his eyes. "You-you shouldn't have come here alone. It's dangerous."

"Oh, I'm not alone" Kurt said. "I came here with Jeff."

Blaine looked behind Kurt and found his best friend standing there, nodding towards him. He raised his thumb and silently mouthed a quick 'Don't screw up' before turning to Kurt.

"I will be waiting here" Jeff said and gently pushed Kurt forward.

"Thanks" Blaine said, smiling at Jeff as he closed the door, glad that his friend wanted to help him even after their last conversation.

"How are you?" Kurt asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Fine" Blaine said.

Kurt raised an eyebrow as he looked at him. Blaine couldn't be farther from fine. He was wearing a dirty shirt and old pants from his high school years, his hair was a mess and he hadn't had a shower for days. He looked tired and Kurt was sure that he had been crying before he got here.

"I see" Kurt said in the end.

"You look awful, too" Blaine said quietly.

"I never look awful, Anderson" Kurt smiled. "But you could use a shower and fresh clothes."

"You noticed it?" Blaine laughed. "Damn."

"Go, have a shower. I will be waiting here" Kurt said.

"I will be quick" Blaine said and practically ran into the bathroom.

About fifteen minutes and a hot shower later, a slightly better looking Blaine stepped out of the bathroom. He didn't find Kurt in the kitchen, so he went to search for him in the tiny apartment. It wasn't hard to find him in the bedroom where he was going through Blaine's CDs. 

"How does Celine Dion fit into this collection?" Kurt asked, pointing at the dozens of metal albums lying on the ground.

"It was a present for my birthday" Blaine explained. "Jeff's a funny guy."

"Yeah, I know" Kurt nodded.

Silence, again. Blaine knew that he had to talk, he had to apologise but God, it was so hard.

"Kurt, I..."

"I know" Kurt interrupted him. "I know that you're sorry but I didn't come for an apology."

Blaine nodded, gulping nervously.

"I've been thinking about us a lot" Kurt continued. "It's a hard decision to make. It's not just about me, I have to consider what's the best fo Danny, too."

"It will never happen again" Blaine said quickly before Kurt could stop him. "You have to believe me, Kurt. I wasn't myself that night. That's not who I am."

"I know" Kurt nodded. "Or at least... I try to believe that it won't happen again."

"It won't" Blaine said desperately.

"It wasn't completely your fault" Kurt continued. "Those things you said... they made me think our relationship over."

Blaine took another deep breath. If Kurt broke up with him, he wouldn't survive it. These few days away from him had helped him realise how important Kurt was for him.

"I think I gave you a reason not to trust me completely" Kurt said quietly. "If you feel that way, I'm sorry. I never intended to hurt you and I didn't want to cheat on you if that was what you were afraid of. Since the day I met you, I couldn't look at anyone but you like that."

"Really?" Blaine asked quietly. He knew that he loved Kurt but hearing that the man felt the same way... Too bad this conversation took place just a few days after Blaine had almost broken Kurt's wrists and yelled those horrible things into his face.

"I thought you knew me" Kurt answered. "I wouldn't have agreed with hiding from everyone if I hadn't been completely sure that this could work."

"I love you" Blaine said without thinking, causing Kurt to take a step back in surprise. "No, don't freak out, please. Let me explain."

Kurt nodded and luckily, he didn't make any move towards the door.

"You're right" Blaine admitted. "I felt insecure. I was afraid of losing you but it's not because I didn't trust you. I do trust you, Kurt. But I can't say the same about Jeremy."

"Blaine..."

"I know, you don't believe me but that man is not what he seems. Please, be careful around him" Blaine said.

"You don't have to worry about him because he's gone" Kurt said.

"What?" Blaine asked.

"He moved to LA" Kurt explained.

"But it doesn't make any sense..." Blaine muttered. 

"Why not?" Kurt frowned.

"You know what? It doesn't matter" Blaine said hastily. "He's gone, so he won't cause trouble anymore. And I promise, Kurt, it won't happen again. I know that I made a huge mistake when..."

Blaine fell silent. He was about to tell Kurt about his presumption but maybe it wasn't the best time. It could ruin everything and that was the last thing Blaine wanted.

"Just give me a chance. Please" he said in the end.

"I can't trust you completely, not yet, but I believe you" Kurt replied. "I want you to come back. Danny can't stop asking about you and... and he misses you... We both do."

"I miss you, too" Blaine said.

Kurt closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"Tomorrow, at 7" he said. "Don't be late."

"I won't" Blaine said excitedly. He was one step closer to get Kurt back. 

"I should go. I'm gonna have a long day tomorrow" Kurt said.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course" Blaine nodded, although he didn't want Kurt to go. He had missed him so much and it felt so great to finally be in the same room with him.

"Good night, Blaine" Kurt said as he turned around and walked to the door.

"Good night" Blaine whispered.

Kurt looked back at him one more time before he stepped through the door and joined Jeff. Blaine watched them until they disappeared behind the door leading to the stairway, trying not to smile like an idiot. Kurt came and gave him a second chance. Blaine Anderson was finally back and there was nothing that could step between them again.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. Enjoy!  
> Lyrics: Within Temptation – Memories

Blaine sighed as he stared at the wall in front of him. It was his first day back at work, a very long one. He had spent the whole day with Kurt, had watched him perform and they had gotten home so late that they hadn't even seen Danny who had gone to bed about an hour earlier. Blaine had hoped that he could see the boy, he had been the only one in the morning who had truly welcomed him and had acted like nothing had happened. Blaine couldn't say the same about Kurt or his friends. Nobody blamed him anymore, or at least it seemed like they were fine again but something was different. Something had changed and Blaine wasn't sure if things could go back to normal again.

It was Kurt who concerned him the most. He had tried to act normal around him but he had failed miserably. Blaine knew why. Even if Kurt had forgiven him, he was still scared. Blaine couldn't blame him. After his horrible relationship with Sebastian and the stalker making his life hell, Kurt deserved someone who he could trust. Blaine had promised himself that he would do anything to make things up between them and proove Kurt that he was the right person for him, and that was exactly what he was going to do. But they needed time... Blaine had to be patient and calm, so Kurt could see that he had nothing to be scared of. But it was so hard. He missed Kurt so badly, the way he had had him before the night of the ball. 

He had no doubt that the man they were searching for was Jeremy. It had to be him. He was the only one who could have slipped the drug into Blaine's drink and that single thing was enough to proove that he was the stalker. Who else could be? 

Blaine still didn't understand why he had done that. It was a risky step. Blaine could have visited a doctor and they surely would have found something in his blood. Since the only drink he had had that night was the coctail Jeremy had given him, he would have been the first suspect. He could have gotten himself arrested for nothing, because it surely wouldn't have helped him get closer to Kurt. 

Unless...

Maybe they hadn't been careful enough. Jeremy had seen them together so many times and even if Kurt had denied that something was going on between them, Jeremy must have noticed something. And it looked like he was crazy enough to get everyone out of the way, so he could have Kurt in the end. 

But then, there was the news Kurt had told him the other day. Jeremy had left and it didn't seem like he was coming back anytime soon. It didn't make any sense. If he was Kurt's stalker, why would he move to a city where he had no connection to Kurt? Blaine kept thinking about it but he couldn't find a good explanation. This case was a lot harder than the others they had dealt with earlier and something told him that they had to be very careful if they didn't want anybody get hurt. 

"Here."

Blaine jumped in surprise as a cup of coffee was placed in front of him and he almost knocked it off the table. He looked up with wide eyes, only to find Jeff standing beside him.

"Why is everyone so jumpy in this house?" Jeff wondered.

"You scared me" Blaine said.

"I thought you saw me when I stepped inside. Or when I asked you if you wanted a coffee. Or..."

"I was... thinking" Blaine said.

"About Kurt?" Jeff smiled.

Blaine sighed and took the cup into his hands. 

"I wish things could be like before" he said.

"I thought you were fine" Jeff frowned.

"Fine, yeah. But that's all" Blaine said. "He's so distant. I think he's still scared of me and I don't know what to do to earn his trust again."

"It's hard" Jeff nodded.

"I screwed up" Blaine said.

"Yes, you did" Jeff agreed.

They looked at each other and a second later, they both burst into laughter.

"I missed this" Jeff smiled.

Blaine nodded and looked down. Maybe he should say something. It was Jeff who had helped him with Kurt after all, he owed him an apology at least.

"Look, Jeff, I..."

Jeff waved him down before Blaine could finish his sentence.

"It's fine. Really. I'm not mad anymore" Jeff said. "Besides, we never were good in this heart to heart thing. Let's forget about it and move on."

"Thanks" Blaine said gladly. "I had too many serious conversations in the past few days."

"What are you two doing here?" Wes asked as he stepped inside. 

"We're having a single party" Jeff answered.

Wes raised an eyebrow as he looked at the two cups on the table.

"With coffee? Wow, be careful, don't get too drunk" he smiled.

"We're working" Jeff explained.

"And I don't think I will have any alcohol in the near future" Blaine sighed.

Wes nodded and pulled out a chair for himself.

"I hope you don't mind" he said.

"This is a single party" Jeff said.

"Good" Wes said and grabbed Jeff's coffee.

"For singles only" Jeff said and got his cup out of Wes's hand.

"I'm freshly single" Wes replied.

"What?" Blaine asked. "You-you broke up? God, Wes, I'm so sorry."

"I'm not" Wes shrugged way too easily. "It was about time if you ask me. It was a horrible mistake staying with Shauna so long."

"I thought you loved each other" Jeff frowned.

"Not really" Wes admitted. "It was... convenient but honestly, we could barely stand each other in the end. It was the best decision."

His friends looked at him as if they expected him to break down in any second.

"Hey, don't look at me like this. I'm fine" Wes said. "And finally alone, at least for a while. It will be good for me."

"Look at us" Blaine sighed sadly. "We're almost 30 and we can't keep the men or women we love. This is..."

"Awful" Jeff finished for him.

"You can only blame yourself" Wes said as he looked at him. "You could have Nick. He's been waiting for you since high school but you're an idiot and keep pushing him away."

"That's not true!" Jeff gasped.

"Isn't it?" Wes asked. "You know what you should do. Show him that you can give him what he wants and he's yours. That's simple."

Then he turned to Blaine and shook his head as his friend looked at him hopefully.

"I can't help you" Wes said. "You screwed it up pretty badly and I have no idea how you could make things better."

"I know" Blaine sighed sadly.

Jeff looked from one man to the other. He had to help Blaine with Kurt, he was his friend and he couldn't see him suffer. He had hoped that taking Kurt to him would be enough but it certainly hadn't been. He had to come up with something new. As he watched Blaine, a huge smile spread across his face. He just got the perfect idea how to get Kurt and Blaine back together.

~ o ~

The opening night was only a day away and Kurt and Blaine spent the day away again which was perfect. Once he and Danny had gotten back from school, Jeff asked Wes and David to join them in the living room, so they could discuss his plan. He had wanted to involve Nick in it, too, but he realised soon that he would think that Jeff was crazy and it wouldn't be good for their relationship. No, he had to do this without Nick.

"I'm confused" David said as Jeff dragged him into the room.

"We have to talk" Jeff said.

"Okay" Wes nodded. "But what is Danny doing here?"

"I'm the..." Danny fell silent suddenly and turned to Jeff. "What did you call me? I don't remember."

"Let's focus on the plan, okay?" Jeff sighed.

"What plan?" David asked carefully.

"Operation Klaine" Jeff said proudly. 

"What?" Wes asked in confusion.

"Klaine... Kurt and Blaine" Jeff answered, seeing that his friends didn't understand a thing. "You know... like Brangelina or... Okay, I don't remember more but I think you get it."

"What do you have in your mind?" Wes asked, knowing how stupid his friend could be sometimes.

"We have to help them get back together" Jeff said.

"And that's why I'm here!" Danny said happily.

"Are you out of your mind?" David asked. "Jeff, you were the one who told Blaine to leave Danny out of these things and now you want him to be involved? Honestly, I think you've gotten crazy."

"Hey, you don't even know what I want to do" Jeff said hastily. "I have the perfect plan how to get those two back together but I need all of you."

"Why isn't Nick here?" Wes asked.

"Because he would think that I'm crazy" Jeff explained.

"What a surprise" Wes muttered.

"Okay, shut up. We don't have much time" Jeff said. "So we need to get them together somewhere where they could talk about their feelings. A small place where they're forced to look at each other."

"Like?" David asked with a raised eyebrow.

"An elevator" Jeff smiled.

"I'm sorry to say this, Jeff, but I think you have some serious problem with your head" David said slowly.

"Where does this stupid idea come from?" Wes muttered.

"From a TV show, actually" Jeff replied.

"Don't tell me it worked" David laughed.

"But it did! They got married three episodes later" Jeff said.

"Jeff... You can't lock them up in an elevator. It's illegal and completely crazy" Wes said.

"Do you have a better plan?" Jeff asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"No, but..."

"No buts, Wesley. We have to help our friend" Jeff interrupted. "If you can't come up with a better plan, we will do mine."

"I still don't think we should intervene" David said.

"Would you let your friend suffer? How can you be so cruel?" Jeff asked dramatically.

"Okay, fine. Let's make a deal" Wes sighed in the end. "Give them two more weeks and if nothing happens, we will figure out how to help them."

"Two weeks?" Jeff asked.

"This is the best you can have. You should accept it" David said.

Jeff looked at Danny who nodded enthusiastically.

"Fine" Jeff said. "Only two weeks, not a day more."

Wes and David looked at each other and sighed. They hoped that Blaine would do something until then because they were sure that nobody else could stop Jeff and his crazy idea.

~ o ~

It was Saturday evening and Kurt was getting ready for his opening night. He couldn't say that he wasn't nervous. He had had so many roles before but he was still nervous when it came to his first performance. It meant that the newspapers and websites would be full of articles the next morning, telling how amazing or horrible his acting was. Luckily, he had never had to deal with bad critiques before but it didn't mean it couldn't happen someday, for example after tonight. He remembered how awful people had been when Rachel's TV show had come out and failed after the second episode. It had been horrible and Rachel had almost moved back home and changed her name, giving up everything she had had. He didn't want that. He was working so hard for a better life and now that he was ready to take a longer break, he wanted to finish this part of his life with a performance nobody could ever forget. 

"You can do this" he told himself as he looked at his reflexion in the mirror. 

"Come on, Kurt! We're going to be late!" Danny said as he rushed into his room with a chocolate bar in his hand. 

"Where did you get that?" Kurt gasped and took the chocolate form Danny's hand. He had helped Danny get ready before he dressed up, so the boy would be ready for the night. At least if he could keep his clothes clean until that.

"I won't get dirty" Danny promised.

"You better won't because you don't have another white shirt" Kurt said and carefully placed the chocolate bar back into the boy's hand that disappeared within a second in the boy's mouth.

"See?" Danny smiled, showing Kurt his empty hands.

"Wash your hands before we go" Kurt said, shaking his head. He so didn't need more stress for the night.

"One minute" Danny said as he turned back towards the door. "The others are ready, too. Blaine looks great."

"Really?" Kurt smiled.

"He should wear bowties more often" Danny said honestly.

"I will tell him" Kurt nodded.

"Okay" Danny smiled and disappeared from the room.

Kurt looked at his reflexion one more time and when he was sure that he looked perfect, he left his room and walked downstairs. Blaine and his friends were already there, waiting for them. Danny was right. Blaine looked absolutely breathtaking in his formal clothes and that bowtie seemed absolutely perfect. Kurt smiled shyly as he reached him.

"Hey."

"Hey" Blaine smiled. "The limo is here, so if you're ready..."

"Coming!" Danny shouted as he rushed downstairs. "Don't leave without me!"

"How could we?" Kurt shook his head. Danny was so excited, he couldn't stop talking about the opening night for weeks.

Danny looked from Kurt at Blaine and then back at Kurt. When it seemed like everything was perfect, he nodded.

"You look great" he said.

"You're not bad yourself, either" Blaine laughed.

"I'm fabulous" Danny glared at him. 

"Your son has no problem with his ego" Blaine whispered to Kurt who blushed and smiled in return. For a brief moment, everything seemed like before.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Danny said impatiently, grabbed both men's hands and started dragging them towards the front door.

Danny saved them from the awkward silence during the car ride. The boy found everything excited and he kept talking during the whole time, but Kurt didn't really pay attention. He kept his eyes on Blaine and tried not to think about how great he looked. Or the fact that Blaine would join him after the show and accompany him for the party later that night. Or that they would be all alone, without the other Warblers or Danny and could have fun. To be honest, Kurt couldn't wait to get over with his performance, so he could join Blaine. 

As they arrived at the theater, Blaine got out of the limo and held the door for Kurt and Danny. They had agreed earlier that Blaine would stay with them until they got inside, and Nick and Jeff whose job was to keep Kurt safe during the play would join them later inside, to avoid too much attention. Blaine stayed close to them as they slowly made their way towards the building, stopping a few times to answer questions and pose for the photos. Neither Kurt nor Danny seemed nervous but Blaine felt incredibly uncomfortable in the crowd. He hated these public events, there were too many people around them and it was almost impossible to point out possible danger. 

He let out a shaky breath as they walked inside. They had to wait for the others to join them but Kurt left soon after that, he had to get ready for his performance. He was left alone with Danny who seemed just as lost as him without his father.

"Uhm... we should sit down" Blaine offered.

Danny nodded silently and grabbed Blaine's hand as they stepped forward, looking for their seats. The auditorium was already full of people and Danny moved closer to Blaine as they walked to their row and found their seats.

"I didn't know there would be so many people" Danny said quietly.

Blaine squeezed the boy's hand and smiled at him reassuringly.

"It's fine. It means that Kurt's play's gonna be a huge success" Blaine said.

"I hope so" Danny said.

They sat there in silence until the auditorium went dark and the play began. As much as Blaine wanted to relax and enjoy the play, he was working and had to keep his eyes on the crowd. Luckily, everything seemed normal. He knew that there was a small chance that something bad could happen, especially to Danny and him but the past few days had made him a lot more careful than usual. 

"Look!" Danny whispered as Kurt walked onto the stage. 

Blaine focused on the stage immediately. He had seen Kurt so many times during his rehearsals but it was something else this time. It was real. Kurt had played well earlier but this time, he was absolutely perfect. No wonder that he was a successful actor. 

As the time passed, it became harder and harder to tear his gaze away from the stage. Kurt mesmerized him and it was so easy to forget that he wasn't just there to enjoy the night. His acting was so beautiful, so heartbreaking. He played a widower who lost the love of his life way too early and struggled to stay strong and move on, even when it seemed impossible. Blaine felt tears in his eyes and he blinked rapidly to fight them back. It seemed like he could stop them for a while, right until Kurt began to sing.

In this world you tried  
Not leaving me alone behind  
There's no other way  
I'll pray to the gods: let him stay   
The memories ease the pain inside  
Now I know why

All of my memories  
Keep you near  
In silent moments  
Imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories  
Keep you near  
The silent whispers, silent tears

Kurt walked down the stairs and stopped in the middle of the stage. The scenery was changing behind him as he sang and it turned into a beautiful ball room. Blaine gasped as the lights illuminated Kurt's beautiful face. So perfect.

Made me promise I'd try  
To find my way back in this life  
I hope there is a way  
To give me a sign you're okay  
Reminds me again  
It's worth it all  
So I can go home 

All of my memories  
Keep you near  
In silent moments  
Imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories  
Keep you near  
The silent whispers, silent tears

The shadows of another men appeared behind Kurt and Blaine felt a wave of jealousy. He knew that it was part of the play but he wanted to be there and hug Kurt from behind, not another actor.

Together in all these memories  
I see your smile  
All the memories I hold dear  
Darling you know I love you till the end of time 

Kurt was alone again and as he reached the final part of the song and as his voice became stronger than ever, everything seemed to disappear around him and all Blaine could see was him.

All of my memories  
Keep you near  
In silent moments  
Imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories  
Keep you near  
The silent whispers, silent tears

All of my memories

The stage was almost completely dark as the song ended and Kurt looked down. He seemed so alone, so lost. It was hard to believe that it wasn't just a play and Blaine was sure that he wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"Blaine, are you crying?" Danny whispered in concern.

Blaine blinked and forced himself to look away from Kurt. It was just a play. It wasn't real.

"No" Blaine said in the end and quickly wiped his face with the back of his hand. "Of course not. It's just... I'm allergic."

Danny raised an eyebrow.

"I have crowd allergy, okay?" Blaine said.

"Crowd allergy" Danny said slowly. "Is there such a thing?"

"Oh, shut up and watch the play" Blaine said.

Danny turned back towards the stage but Blaine could hear his quiet laughter. He could just hope that Danny wouldn't tell Kurt about it later. 

As soon as the play ended, they walked outside to wait there for the others. Kurt had a party to attend and it was Blaine's job to accompany him as a friend. The others had to bring Danny home because it was way after his curfew and it wasn't like a 6-year-old had anything to do with such a party. It didn't mean he couldn't try, though.

"Please, Kurt, I won't disturb you" Danny begged when Kurt joined them.

"It's not for children, Danny" Kurt said patiently.

"I will be good, please" Danny said.

"It's late. You should already be asleep, young man" Kurt said.

"I'm not tired" Danny said but the yawn that followed his words betrayed him. Kurt smiled and pulled him into a hug.

"Go home with Jeff and Nick. I will tell you everything tomorrow" Kurt said.

"Every single moment" Danny said seriously.

"I promise" Kurt nodded.

"Are you sure you will be fine?" Nick asked before they parted.

"Yes" Kurt replied without hesitation. "We won't stay there too long."

"Call us if you need help" Nick said to Blaine.

"We won't but thanks" Blaine said seriously. The others could have trusted him. He wouldn't do such a mistake again.

"And behave yourself" Jeff said.

"Just go, okay?" Blaine sighed in frustration.

"Okay. Have fun, boys" Jeff winked and followed Nick and Danny outside.

There was a minute of awkward silence as the two men kept looking at each other before finally Kurt opened his mouth to speak.

"Uhm... The party..." he muttered.

"Yeah. Let's go!" Blaine nodded.

It took place in the club next to the theater, so they didn't need to go too far. Blaine got nervous again as they stepped into the crowded room but this time, Kurt seemed to feel the same. He was prepared for the first reactions to his acting and he was scared that it wouldn't be good.

"Kurt Hummel!" a middle-aged man shouted as he stepped to them and shook Kurt's hand. "I have to tell you the truth. I've never seen someone play this role as perfectly as you did tonight..."

"Kurt, do you have a second?"

And so it started. They could only take a step or two forward before being stopped by another person who wanted to talk to Kurt. At least it became obvious pretty soon that everybody loved the play. Okay, it wasn't a surprise. Kurt was amazing, of course everyone loved his work.

As the time passed, Blaine got bored. He stayed beside Kurt but didn't really pay attention to his conversations. They were all the same and Blaine had no idea how Kurt could enjoy them. He could barely fight back his yawns. 

After about an hour, he was practically begging for some actions. Where was that damn stalker when he needed to beat up someone? Or an assassin. Or a clown, he always hated clowns. Or better, an assassin dressed as a clown. Yeah, that would be the perfect choice. There were so many rich people around here, nobody wanted to attack them?

"Mr Hummel, for a second."

Blaine raised an eyebrow as a man made his way through the crowd and practically shoved a microphone into Kurt's face. Blaine gave him his best intimidating look and stepped closer to Kurt.

"Would you please answer a few questions?" the man asked.

"Be quick, please" Kurt said patiently.

"Is that true that you're in a relationship?" the man asked, looking at Blaine.

Kurt followed his gaze and laughed.

"Oh, no. Blaine and I are just friends" he said.

"Is that true? Mr, uhm..."

"Just Blaine" Blaine said.

"Okay, so Blaine, we saw you arrive with Mr Hummel and his son to the theater and it looked like you were all very close" the man said.

Blaine almost rolled his eyes. He was pretty sure that none of them had given any sign that they were more than friends. Nobody could know about his relationship with Kurt. Especially since there was nothing going on between them right now.

"Blaine is a close friend of mine and he knows Danny, of course" Kurt smiled and grabbed Blaine's arm. "If you would excuse us..."

Kurt turned around and pulled Blaine with him as he slowly made his way towards the exit. They had to stop a few more times but in the end, they were finally outside and Kurt quickly pulled Blaine into the shadows and led him to the empty and dark terrace.

"What are we doing here?" Blaine frowned.

"It looked like you needed some fresh air" Kurt sighed.

"You have no idea" Blaine smiled.

"I know that these parties are boring but it comes with my job" Kurt shrugged.

"It's fine. Really" Blaine said. "And my job is to keep you safe, even when I get bored from all those stupid questions. Do you want to go back inside?"

"Oh, God, no" Kurt sighed. "Do you think I enjoy them?"

"Don't you like when people tell you how amazing you are?" Blaine gasped dramatically. "Kurt Hummel, you're such a cruel man."

"I know. I don't deserve the success" Kurt laughed.

Blaine missed this side of Kurt so much. He missed his laughter, that he could stay so carefree even in the worst moments. He even missed when Kurt teased him.

"You do" he said seriously. "I saw you tonight, Kurt, and I agree with them. You did an amazing job with your role."

Kurt smiled and took a step closer to Blaine, taking his hands. Blaine took a deep breath, somewhat confused. He thought that Kurt was still afraid of him and didn't expect such a move from him tonight.

"Thank you for coming with me" Kurt said.

"Kurt, it's my job to..."

"I know" Kurt interrupted him. "But after what happened between us and what I said to you the other day... I thought..."

"You thought that I would give up on us?" Blaine asked.

Kurt nodded hesitantly.

"No, Kurt, of course not" Blaine said. "I understand that you need time and you don't trust me but I'm completely fine with it. I told you before, I love you. And I will never give up on us, not even if you say that there's no chance for us."

Kurt opened his mouth to say something and Blaine's heart stopped for a moment. What if...? No, Kurt didn't bring him here to break his heart. It couldn't happen, not to them.

But then Kurt closed his mouth again and did something he wasn't prepared for. He put his arms around Blaine's neck, pressing his lips to Blaine's. Blaine froze immediately, unable to believe that it was really happening. What if it was just a stupid dream and he would wake up in his apartment alone?

Kurt pulled back with wide eyes. He must have thought that Blaine changed his mind and wasn't interested anymore. It was so stupid of him to think that it was a dream...

"We... You... It means..." Blaine closed his eyes, hoping that Kurt understood his stutter.

"Forget it" Kurt said and turned to leave but Blaine grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Wait! Does it mean that we..."

"I miss you, okay?" Kurt said in frustration. "I tried to be mad at you because what you did was wrong but I just can't do it anymore! I... I love you, Blaine."

This time it was Blaine who closed the distance between them and pulled Kurt into a heated kiss. He pulled him into his arms, closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the kiss. He missed it so badly. He missed Kurt so badly. And he felt so incredibly happy that he had him again.

Click!

Blaine reacted in no time. He pulled away from Kurt and pushed him behind his back, his eyes already searching for the source of the noise.

"What's wrong?" Kurt whispered.

Blaine held up his hand to silence him and slowly made a few steps forward. Somebody was there in the shadows watching them and he had to find out who it was. 

"I know that you're there" Blaine said as he took another step forward, careful to keep Kurt behind him. "Step out of there. Slowly."

He waited for almost a minute but nothing moved again. Whoever was there, they stayed hidden in the shadows. 

"I warned you" Blaine whispered and surged forward, ready to take down the person watching them.

Only to find nobody there.

"I-I don't understand" Kurt frowned when he joined him and saw that the place was empty except for them.

"Let's go back inside" Blaine said, worried for Kurt's safety. He was 100 % sure that he heard that noise and they weren't alone but he didn't find anyone, not even when he quickly moved around the terrace, searching through every dark spot.

It couldn't be his mind playing with him, right? There must have been a good explanation for the sound and something told him that they would find out soon what it was and what it meant for them. Blaine had a bad feeling that it was nothing good.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Kurt was in heaven. After getting home from the party, he and Blaine had ended up in his bedroom – and they had made up for the long time they had had to spend without each other. When Kurt had fallen asleep that night, the happenings in the club completely forgotten, he had truly believed that things could only get better.

Until the next morning.

Kurt woke up to an annoying noise that he soon figured out came from his phone on the nightstand. He groaned and turned to his side, reaching out for Blaine who he hoped would help him get lost in his sweet dreams for a while, but he realised that the man was already gone and he was alone in his bed. Kurt turned to his back again and rolled his eyes. It was completely pointless playing this game any longer, the Warblers already knew about them and they would figure out sooner or later that Kurt and Blaine were back together. Kurt trusted them and knew that they would keep their secret as long as they had to. Once Kurt's stalker was gone, they could be together without fear and that was exactly what Kurt wanted. He was tired of lies, he didn't want to hide his boyfriend any longer. He wanted a real relationship with Blaine. He wanted to show everyone what an amazing person he was and how happy he made Kurt. He had to talk about it with Blaine once he found him.

The familiar ringtone brought him out of his thoughts and he sat up slowly. One of his friends was determined to reach him, so he guessed it was time to wake up. He reached for his phone and answered the call without checking the caller ID.

"Yeah?" he groaned.

"Finally!" a very much awake Tina said, her voice so loud that Kurt had to keep his phone away from his ear. "Do you know how many times I tried to call you?"

Kurt held his phone in front of his eyes and checked the screen.

"Four times" he answered.

"That's right!" Tina said. "You're in trouble, do you know that?"

Kurt in his still sleepy state had no idea what Tina was talking about.

"Why am I in trouble?" he asked finally. God, he needed a coffee.

"You don't know? You don't know that..." Tina sighed and Kurt was sure that she was shaking her head. "I will be there in twenty minutes."

With that, she disconnected the call, leaving Kurt more confused than ever.

Since he didn't have much time, he quickly got out of the bed and walked into the bathroom. His whole body was in pain, he had to take a shower before his manager could get there. He hoped that it would help because it was hard to walk and he didn't want to tell Tina what had happened. At least not now. He had to talk to Blaine first.

Kurt got dressed and he was on his way to the kitchen to get a coffee when the doorbell rang. He sighed and turned towards the front door but Jeff was already there, smiling knowingly as he opened the door. A second later, Tina rushed inside with her tablet in her hand.

"What is this?" she asked.

"What is what?" Kurt asked back. It would have been easier if Tina could stop being so mysterious and tell him what was going on. It was Sunday and he had had a really long night, he deserved a day off. Maybe he and Blaine and Danny could go out together, have lunch or anything. Kurt smiled at the thought. Once Tina was gone, he would find Blaine and ask him if he wanted to go out with them.

"Don't smile like this" Tina said and pressed the tablet into Kurt's hands. "You're in trouble."

Kurt looked at the screen and almost dropped the tablet when he saw the picture and the title over it.

Kurt Hummel has a boyfriend!

Kurt knew immediately where the photo had been taken. The previous night when he had been with Blaine, when they had talked about their relationship and yeah... when Blaine had heard that noise. Kurt took a deep breath and read the article.

It looks like someone has stolen Kurt Hummel's heart!

The actor and singer, 27, and his partner arrived together for Kurt's newest play at Neil Simon Theater last night, along with Kurt's son, Danny. The actor introduced the mysterious man as a friend of the family but it looks like there is a lot more going on!

The two of them left in the middle of the party following the opening night and hid on the romantic little terrace of the club. Our source told us that the couple had a heated conversation before the kiss. 

The same person told us that Kurt was seen with the man many other times and although he denied in the interview he made with our reporter that he was in a relationship, he and his assumed boyfriend have spent most of their time together.

What do we know about the mysterious man?

Not much. He introduced himself as Blaine and he is about the same age as Kurt. We don't know where the two of them met, how long they hid their relationship or why they did so. Hopefully we will be able to talk to Kurt or his manager today and they will answer our questions.

"Oops" Kurt said quietly.

"Yeah" Tina nodded somewhat angrily. "They keep calling me since 7 in the morning."

"I'm so sorry, Tina" Kurt said.

"You should have told me" Tina said. "I'm happy for you two, Kurt. Believe me, I am, and it's not like I didn't see it coming but... you should have discussed it with me before making out with your boyfriend in front of the whole city."

"I thought we were alone" Kurt sighed. Honestly, he had no idea what to do. He had to talk to Blaine but he hadn't seen the man that morning. Suddenly, a horrible thought crossed his mind and he looked around with wide eyes. What if Blaine had read the article and decided to leave?

He was close to panic when the front door opened and his bodyguard walked inside.

"I checked the... Oh, Ms Cohen-Chang. Good morning" Blaine said politely.

"You" Tina said as she pointed at Blaine. "We need to talk."

Blaine turned to Kurt in confusion. He surely hadn't seen the article and had no idea what was going on.

"Why don't we go to the kitchen? I can make you coffee" Kurt said. He really needed that coffee to make his brain work.

"Okay" Blaine said and looked at Jeff briefly but his friend only shrugged and nodded towards the kitchen's door. Blaine sighed and followed Kurt and Tina inside.

"Blaine, something happened last night..." Kurt started but Tina interrupted him.

"Somebody saw you two kiss, made a few pictures and sold them to the press" she said quickly.

"What?" Blaine gasped.

"Look at this" Tina said and showed Blaine the article.

While he was reading it, Kurt quickly made them all coffee and brought it to the table. Just in time to see Blaine sigh heavily and drop the tablet onto the table.

"This is horrible" he said.

"Really?" Tina rolled her eyes. 

"It wasn't his fault" Kurt said. "There was that reporter, he asked a lot about us. I should have known that he followed us."

"And I should have known, too" Blaine said. "What are we going to do now?"

"Well, you can make an announcement and confirm the assumptions or..."

Tina looked at Kurt who grimanced and turned to Blaine.

"Or we could avoid the press. Not bother to respond at all and hope that they would leave us alone sooner or later" Kurt said.

"What do you want to do?" Blaine asked.

"I don't know" Kurt answered honestly.

"You have to decide what to do, fast" Tina said. "If you want to do this, we have to make that announcement as soon as we can."

"We have to discuss it" Kurt said and Blaine nodded in agreement.

"Fine" Tina nodded and stood up. "Just call me with your decision."

"Thank you" Kurt said and hugged his friend briefly. "You're the best."

"I know, I know" Tina smiled. "But next time don't forget to talk to me first, so I know what to do."

"I will. I promise" Kurt said.

Blaine stayed behind as Kurt and Tina walked out of the room and after a short conversation, he heard the door close and then Kurt's steps as he walked back into the kitchen. Kurt seemed a little pale as he made his way to Blaine and he sighed heavily when Blaine grabbed his hand.

"We should discuss this" Kurt said.

"I know" Blaine nodded. "Let me make you breakfast first. You're surely hungry."

Kurt nodded, although he didn't feel hungry at all. But Blaine was so nice to him and he needed some time to think about what he should say.

~ o ~

About half an hour and an amazing breakfast later, the two of them walked into the music room and sat down in front of the piano. Blaine started playing a soft melody and Kurt closed his eyes, enjoying the music. Blaine always knew how to help him relax.

"So what do you want to do?" Blaine asked after a while.

Kurt took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Blaine didn't look at him, his eyes were on the keyboard and he kept playing.

"I don't want to hide anymore" Kurt said quietly.

Blaine stopped playing but he didn't look up at him. Kurt started to think that he didn't agree with him.

"Isn't it what you want?" Kurt asked.

"It's not that" Blaie said. "I want to be with you, I just... I'm afraid of the consequences."

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked. "Because if it's just the press, I..."

"It's not about the press. I'm not scared of those people" Blaine said and finally looked at him. "But I don't want to risk your or Danny's safety."

"Blaine, we're safe" Kurt smiled. "Look, I haven't gotten a letter in weeks, I think..."

"It's not safe" Blaine interrupted him. "You think that he's gone but it's not true. I know these people, Kurt. They stay back and hide in the shadows if they think it's necessary but they don't leave until they get what they want. Je- your stalker, he wants you to believe that he gave up, he wants you to be careless and he's just waiting for you to make a mistake. If we expose our relationship, it may... send him over the edge. And I can't tell you what he would do but it would surely be something horrible."

"You think he would hurt me?" Kurt asked in concern.

"You, me, Danny... Anyone who's important for you. These people are insane, Kurt. We can never be careful enough" Blaine said honestly. He had seen some horrible things in his life and he didn't want any of them happen to Kurt or his loved ones.

"I guess we should wait then" Kurt said quietly.

Blaine put his arms around the man and kissed his forehead.

"Hey, you're safe as long as I'm here. Nobody can hurt you or Danny, I promise" Blaine said.

"So we should just act normally?" Kurt asked.

"I think that's the best thing we can do, yes" Blaine nodded.

"But once he's gone..."

"You can post it on your site or do whatever you want" Blaine smiled.

Kurt sighed and snuggled deeper into Blaine's arms.

"I can't wait for that" he said.

Blaine smiled and leaned down to kiss Kurt. He was afraid of their future, of the unknown but he was so happy to be with Kurt again, he knew he could deal with it, whatever was waiting for them.

~ o ~

"Does act normally means that you spend the rest of your life at home?"

Kurt looked up from his notes and smiled at Blaine who was leaning against the doorframe. It was Sunday again and Kurt had woken up early, so he decided to take his time and write his book. He didn't have too much time to finish it but he so didn't know what he should share with the world. Honestly, he didn't want to publish his memoir at all.

And he knew that they had agreed to act normally but Kurt couldn't get Blaine's words out of his head. When he tried to think that the stalker was gone and he could live in peace, there was always someone to tell him that it wasn't over at all. What Blaine had said was the worst, it just made everything real again. Kurt had started being afraid of leaving the house and even in the house, he mostly spent his time in his room. He had forgotten about his afternoon with Danny and barely talked to him or anybody else except Blaine. If he hadn't had to go to work, he would have stayed at home for the rest of his life. Or at least as long as his stalker was caught.

"I don't spend all of my time at home" Kurt replied. "I was in the theatre twice this week."

"But otherwise you didn't leave the house" Blaine pointed out. "We have to do something about that."

"I'm tired. Can't I just stay home and sleep today?" Kurt asked.

"Sadly, no" Blaine smiled and got into the bed with Kurt, pulling him into his arms. "There's a very excited young man waiting for you downstairs and if I'm correct, he wants his weekly pancake-dose."

"In that case, I guess I can't say no" Kurt sighed.

"No, you can't" Blaine said and pressed a kiss to Kurt's forehead. "Come on!"

Kurt groaned but let Blaine pull him off the bed and down the stairs. True to Blaine's words, Danny was waiting for them downstairs with Wes and David.

"Are you coming, too?" Kurt asked the two men, trying to hide his disappointment. As much as he liked the Warblers, he was looking forward to spending a day with his son and boyfriend. He didn't want anyone else to be there.

"I think I can manage on my own" Blaine said, seeing Kurt's discomfort.

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Wes asked. "What if you run into a reporter again? Will you be able to focus..."

"I won't let anyone distract me" Blaine said sternly. His friends knew everything, thanks to the photos from the previous Saturday and although they were all happy for them, Wes, like Blaine, had concerns. Blaine understood this and agreed with his friend but he wanted to make Kurt happy and forget about his stalker for a while. If Kurt wanted to be alone with him and Danny, then Blaine would find a way to grant his wish.

"Just be careful" Wes said.

"Always" Blaine nodded. Kurt and Danny's safety was always the most important for him.

"So what are we going to do today?" Kurt asked as he crouched down in front of Danny.

"Eat pancakes and play in the park" the boy answered, smiling.

"Sounds great" Kurt said. "Let's go!"

Danny didn't stop talking during the ride to the café they liked so much. He was so happy to have Kurt and Blaine for himself for a whole day, he shared every single detail of his week with them. The two adults sat quietly beside each other, smiling as Danny told them everything that had happened to him at school, and sometimes for a brief moment, their hands found each other. They both knew that they couldn't do this once they were in public, even if the warm touch on their hands felt so right. 

The café was crowded like always and they couldn't find a single table for themselves, so in the end, Blaine decided to take their food and drinks away, and they walked to the park nearby where they could sit down in the grass and eat in peace.

"Do you like it?" Blaine asked Danny who had been strangely quiet for the last few minutes.

The boy nodded and grabbed another pancake.

"Slow down. Nobody will take them away from you" Kurt smiled.

"I know" Danny said but continued eating as if he had been starved for days.

"Just so you know, we will have salad for dinner" Kurt said.

"It's just one day, Kurt" Blaine said. "Besides, pancakes are delicious and nutritious."

"Of course" Kurt rolled kis eyes.

"Do you want to have one?" Blaine asked.

"No, I'm not hungry" Kurt answered.

"But you have to eat breakfast" Danny said. "It's the most important meal of the day."

"And you're so skinny. We have to do something about that" Blaine nodded in agreement.

"Fine" Kurt rolled his eyes and took a pancake from the box. "Happy?"

"Yes" Danny smiled.

Once they finished their breakfast, Danny left the adults and walked to the trees. He had seen a chipmunk when they had arrived and although Kurt told him that the animal was long gone, the boy was determined to find it. Kurt hoped that finally, he and Blaine would have a minute just for themselves but his bodyguard only squeezed his hand briefly and stood up to join Danny. Kurt sighed heavily. He always had to remind himself that Blaine had a job to do and couldn't avoid it just to be with him, especially now. He somewhat hoped that his stalker would show up soon, so the Warblers could catch him and they could be finally together the way Kurt wanted to.

Once Blaine made sure that there was nobody hiding behind the trees watching them, he walked back to Kurt and Danny and took Kurt's hand into his for a second.

"Don't let go" Kurt begged when Blaine pulled away.

"Kurt..."

"Nobody's here, right?" Kurt asked.

"Just the three of us" Blaine nodded.

"Great" Kurt said and sneaked his arms around Blaine's neck, kissing him.

Blaine let himself get lost in the kiss just for a brief moment. It wasn't like he wanted to pull away but neither the time nor the place was right for this. He grabbed Kurt's waist and gently pushed him back, sighing heavily.

"We can't" he explained.

"I know" Kurt said and stepped back. He was so tired of this.

"The chipmunk got away" Danny said as he joined them and walked straight to Blaine. "You can kiss each other. It doesn't bother me, I've seen worse."

"Excuse me?" Kurt asked.

"I kissed Mandy behind the dumpster" Danny admitted.

"Aren't you too young for this?" Kurt frowned.

"She said that we had to practice" Danny replied.

"And how was it?" Blaine asked, jumping out of the way just in time before Kurt could slap his arm for the question.

"It was disgusting" Danny answered honestly. "I don't think I like kissing. It's... wet. I don't understand why people like kissing each other."

"You know, intimacy..."

"...Is something we will discuss in the far future" Kurt glared at Blaine.

"Exactly!" Blaine nodded immediately. "Kissing is gross. Don't do it."

"Why do you two do it then?" Danny asked in confusion.

"We love suffering" Blaine smiled, earning a slap on the back of his head from Kurt for the answer.

"I'm glad you're back" Danny said and hugged Blaine. He had missed the man so much and he knew that Kurt had felt the same way. But finally he was back and everything was fine again.

"Me too" Blaine replied. Although they had had a rough start, he was glad that everything worked out fine. Danny was an amazing kid.

Kurt watched the scene with a huge smile on his face. He was so happy that the two most important people in life accepted each other and he knew that once their relationship with Blaine became official, they could become a real family, something Kurt had always wanted.

He was about to join the others when his phone rang. He sighed and stepped away from them, checking the caller ID before answering the call.

"Hey, Tina. What's..."

"Have you seen the photo I sent to you?" Tina cut in. Kurt knew immediately that something was wrong.

"What photo?" he asked.

"I got a letter this morning. It was... just open the file. You have to see it" Tina said and disconnected the call, so Kurt could check what she had sent for him. 

True to her words, there was a message from Tina and when Kurt opened the attachment, he cried out and almost dropped his phone.

"Kurt, what's wrong?" Blaine asked in concern as he and Danny quickly joined the man.

But it wasn't all. As Kurt tried to dial Tina's number, his phone beeped again. And again. There were two more messages, one from Rachel and another one from Mercedes. Kurt didn't bother to read the messages, he only opened the photos they sent.

"Oh my God!" Kurt whispered. He felt tears burn in his eyes but he was too upset to force them back. 

Blaine grabbed the phone from his shaky hand and swore quietly as he saw the photo.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked quietly, his eyes wide with fear from Kurt's reaction. He had no idea what was going on but it couldn't be good. He looked around nervously and moved closer to Blaine, taking his free hand.

"How... why?" Kurt whispered.

"Let's go back to the car" Blaine said and pocketed Kurt's phone. Somebody tried to call him but it wasn't important now. 

"What happened?" Danny asked.

Blaine didn't reply. He grabbed Kurt's hand, tightened his grip on Danny's and started pulling them back into the parking lot. Kurt's phone continued ringing but none of them cared. Kurt was still in shock, Blaine kept his eyes on the trees around them, knowing that anything could happen and he had to be more careful than ever, and Danny just kept looking at the adults, not understanding a thing.

Until they reached the parking lot.

It was empty except for their car and the moment it came into their view, they all knew that something was very wrong. Danny didn't see much from the signs painted onto the car with deep red because once Blaine read the single word on the windshield, he pulled them back and turned around, blocking their sight. But it looked like Kurt had enough time to read it because he pressed a hand to his lips to suppress another cry of fear and he was shaking again.

"That asshole" Blaine muttered angrily.

Kurt didn't pay attention, he couldn't. The whole world disappeared and only that one word existed in his mind. His stalker was back. He wasn't just back, he had found all of his friends and left his horrible letters at their homes. They were all for Kurt, that was sure, especially after he saw what had happened to his car.

He was shaking so hard that he couldn't stand on his feet any longer. If Blaine hadn't been there to catch him, he would have collapsed for sure and even with the man's arms around him to support his weight, Kurt was barely able to stay conscious. It was too much. He couldn't do this.

"It's gonna be fine" Blaine tried to soothe him.

Now Danny was completely scared. He had seen Kurt upset so many times in his life but this one was surely the worst. Kurt didn't seem to see or hear them at all and Danny was so worried about him. He stood there awkwardly for a minute, watching the two men, but he knew that he couldn't do anything to help Kurt. If there was someone who could do it, it was Blaine and not him.

Danny quietly stepped away from them and took a few steps towards the car. He didn't dare move too far from the others but he had to know what was going on. It didn't take him long to find out that the signs he had seen were letters of only one word:

CHEATER

He didn't really know what it meant and why would someone paint it onto Kurt's car but he understood what it meant: that man who had left those letters for Kurt, who had broken their kitchen's window, the man Danny was so scared of was back.

He turned around and ran back to Kurt and Blaine, hiding behind the two men, scared that the painted signs on the car could turn into something horrible in any second.

~ o ~

None of them noticed the man hiding behind the trees on the other side of the parking lot. No wonder, he had had enough time to find the best place to hide, where noone could see him but he was close enough to see Kurt's reaction. He shook his head when the man ended up in his bodyguard's arms, everything and everyone else completely forgotten. 

He had always known that that bodyguard wasn't good for Kurt. Of course he wasn't, he couldn't give Kurt what he needed and he didn't care about him the way he should have. And that poor boy... Danny was standing a few steps away from them and although the boy was just as scared as Kurt, nobody cared about him. It wasn't right this way. Kurt wasn't like this. He should have stayed strong for his son's sake and make sure he was alright. The man knew that Danny was the most important person in Kurt's life and he accepted it. Kurt's job was to be the father of his son since the little boy had nobody else but him. 

But that bodyguard... he destroyed Kurt. He had changed him into this selfish person who didn't care about anyone but himself and his new lover. It couldn't stay this way. He had to do something because Kurt didn't see how wrong this adventure with his bodyguard was. 

He looked at Danny again who seemed close to tears but still nobody checked on him. He shook his head slowly and sighed as he watched the boy. He had given Kurt enough time to come to his senses and get rid of that man but he was so stupid, he didn't see what Blaine was doing to him. But he had enough of waiting. He couldn't stay back and watch this any longer, he had to help Kurt.

Even if it meant he had to hurt him.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. Enjoy!

After a long, hot shower, Kurt slowly walked to his wardrobe to get dressed. He so didn't want to leave but unfortunately, he had to work and couldn't avoid the real life outside his house any longer. It had been three days ago that he had found his ruined car in the parking lot and he had gotten those texts from his friends. Three whole days that he had spent in his room, shutting everyone and everything out. He knew that it was foolish. Blaine had told him once that he couldn't let that man get to him and he had tried to stay strong but he reached a point where he couldn't act like this wasn't affecting him any longer. He was scared of the world waiting for him outside.

He knew that it was selfish of him. He had a family, he had friends who must have been just as scared as he was and not all of them was as lucky as him, to have a whole group of bodyguards watching his every step. His friends lived all alone, they were vulnerable and they were dragged into this because of him. The least he could have done was to reassure them that it was going to be fine.

And then there was his son, an innocent child who had nobody but him. Will would have been so pissed off if he had been still alive. He had trusted Kurt that he would take care of his son once he and Emma weren't able to do so, and keep safe the most precious thing they had had in their life, who they had loved so much. 

Kurt knew that he was slowly losing Danny. The boy had trusted him before all this started, because Kurt had been there for him no matter what had happened to them. He had stayed strong for Danny and survived the most horrible things because he had known that he had to, for both of them. But he hadn't even seen his son since Sunday. Danny had tried to talk to him several times but Kurt had ignored him, so after a while, Danny had stopped visiting him. The previous night when he had walked down into the kitchen for a glass of water, he had passed Danny's slightly open door and heard him cry. It had broken his heart, knowing that he had failed Danny so badly, that he had destroyed their relationship and there was no going back. He had made Danny a promise he couldn't keep. He was surely angry with him now and Kurt had no idea how to apologise. It was too late to make everything better with a small gesture. 

Suddenly, gentle arms sneaked around him from behind and he leaned into the touch, too weak to protest. It was Blaine again, another person who was so important for him and he still avoided. It wasn't fair. Blaine shouldn't have been so kind to him when Kurt hadn't even talked to him in the last few days.

"Shh, it will be alright" Blaine said gently.

"What's wrong with me?" Kurt asked brokenly.

"Nothing's wrong with you" Blaine replied. "It's completely understandable. If you need to cry, just do it."

Kurt turned around to face the man, wipping his face.

"I'm not like this" he said.

"He's found the worst way to hurt you. You don't have to pretend that everything's fine. Believe me, all of your friends understand that you need time to get over this and noone's blaming you" Blaine said.

"Danny's angry with me" Kurt cried.

"Danny's scared" Blaine corrected. "It's not your fault either."

"It is. It's my job to take care of him but... I just can't look into his eyes when I know that this is all my fault" Kurt said.

"Come here" Blaine said and pulled Kurt into his arms again. "It will be over soon. We will find him and lock him up, he won't be able to hurt you again. And once you get over it, we will work on your relationship with Danny. Kids take these things a lot easier than adults, he will be back to normal soon."

"I-I have to talk to him" Kurt said.

"He's already left but we could come home earlier today, so the two of you could spend some time together" Blaine said.

"What should I say to him?" Kurt asked.

"The truth" Blaine smiled sadly. "Tell him how you feel and why you're acting so weirdly. He will understand."

"He hates me" Kurt said.

"Kurt, stop blaming yourself" Blaine said, shaking Kurt's shoulders gently. "Everything's fine between you two. He might be confused because he doesn't understand why you ignored him but it's not something you can't make better with an honest talk and a bowl of ice cream."

"You might be right" Kurt admitted.

"I'm always right" Blaine winked. "Come on, honey. You have to get ready for work."

"What would I do without you?" Kurt muttered.

"You would be fine" Blaine replied. "But you're a lot better with me."

"That's true" Kurt sighed.

~ o ~

It took Kurt about thirty minutes to turn from very upset to furious. Once he had entered his dressing room in the theater and found a pack waiting for him, he knew that his stalker had been there. He didn't even call for help this time, it was useless anyway. The man was clever and he had surely found a way to sneak inside without anyone noticing it. He pressed his lips together in anger and walked to the boxes, but before he opened them, he grabbed the letter from the top of the larger box.

"Oh, a handwritten letter. How nice" he growled as he tore the envelope open and pulled the letter out.

"What is it?" Blaine asked as he stepped into the room, hearing Kurt's angry voice.

"My admirer sent me something" Kurt replied angrily. He didn't understand the change in his mood but being agry at the man felt a lot better. 

"Kurt, you should step back and let me handle this" Blaine said carefully.

"No. I wasted too much time for this asshole. I'm tired of his games" Kurt said as he read the letter.

As the seconds passed, Blaine was afraid that Kurt would explode and destroy something. He didn't know what was in the letter but it certainly made Kurt angrier than before. Once he finished reading it, he dropped the letter onto the floor and as he looked at Blaine, the man took a step back, afraid that Kurt would let out his emotions on him.

"He went too far" Kurt said, seemingly boiling in anger. "He has no right to tell me what to do and how to live my life. He isn't part of my family and he will never be."

Blaine stepped to him and crouched down to grab the letter. He went through it quickly, not really understanding why it angered Kurt more than the previous ones. It was almost kind considering to the last one.

"It's not that surprising that he knows about Danny's birthday" Blaine said in the end. "He's been watching you for months, he surely knows..."

"Danny's my son! I don't need a reminder to know when his birthday is!" Kurt shouted.

Blaine didn't understand why it made Kurt so furious, nobody could have known. Honestly, the man had found a weak point this time and this letter hurt Kurt a lot more than the others. Because it was hard to admit, but the man was right. In all this craziness going on around him, the drama with Blaine and his break down the previous weekend, Kurt had forgotten about Danny's birthday and he would have forgotten to come up with a last minute plan if there hadn't been this letter to remind him. He would have hurt his kid badly, make him cry again. But it wasn't his fault, he understood now. It was all because of that man who thought that he helped Kurt but only ruined his life.

"Kurt, calm down..." Blaine started as he stepped closer.

"Do you know why it hurts so much?" Kurt asked as he turned to him. "I started organising his birthday party weeks ago. It would have been this weekend but this asshole came back and I called it off because I was scared that it would end badly."

"I'm sure that Danny understands..."

"And the worst thing is, I completely forgot about it in the end" Kurt sighed. "Every year on his birthday, I make him pancakes, we have breakfast together, go to the zoo and in the end, we have dinner together. He can choose where. And today he went to school all alone, believing that I forgot about him."

Kurt sat down and buried his face into his hands. 

"I screwed up. Again. I became a horrible father and it's all because of him" he said.

He took a deep breath and opened the bigger box before Blaine could stop him.

"Brithday cake. Now nice" Kurt spat and reached for the other one but this time, Blaine grabbed his hand and pulled it back.

"Kurt, this could be a bomb" he said.

Kurt blinked in surprise. He was so caught up in his emotions that he forgot that his stalker could even hurt him if he wanted to.

"Step back" Blaine said and dragged Kurt away from the box before going back for it.

He opened it carefully, concentrating on possible strange noises but the pack was completely silent. He pulled it out of the wrapping paper and opened the top of the box, sighing in relief.

"Just a toy" Blaine said.

Kurt stepped closer and took the toy from Blaine's hands. It was an action figure Danny had wanted for months, since he had seen it at his friend's birthday party. Kurt had promised him to buy it for his birthday, it was the only thing he hadn't forgotten in the craziness of the last weeks. Because he knew how important it was for Danny.

"He has no right to do this" Kurt said quietly. "He's gone too far this time. He has to pay for this."

Blaine still didn't know why Kurt was so furious, why now. Okay, he knew that Danny was Kurt's weakness but it wasn't like the boy hadn't been in danger before, even if it didn't look like the stalker paid too much attention to him. Maybe it was Kurt's problem. The man moved on to Kurt's son and friends and it was too much for him.

"I will call the police to let them know about the new proofs and ask Nick to get through this letter. Maybe he can find something" Blaine said.

"He won't" Kurt shook his head slowly.

"You have to stop this" Blaine said after a few minutes of silence. "You're blaming yourself again and it will just pull you back into depression. You can't do that."

"Don't worry, I won't do that again" Kurt said seriously. "I was weak but it's over. I won't let him destroy me and what I have. He wants to play with me? Fine. I hope he will be back soon, so we can catch that asshole and send him to jail for the rest of his life."

Kurt stormed out of the room and Blaine slowly followed him. He had never seen Kurt so angry and he couldn't decide if he liked this side of him better than the crying mess he had been in the morning.

~ o ~

Danny took a deep breath and leaned down to wash his face. His lunch break was almost over and even if he wanted to stay in the bathroom forever, he couldn't do that. 

This day was supposed to be amazing. He always loved his birthdays because it was just about him and Kurt. They always spent this day together and Kurt always made sure they did something Danny would never forget. But it was different this year. Kurt hadn't even talked to him in the last few days and it seemed like he had forgotten his birthday completely. He hadn't woken up earlier to make Danny breakfast, he hadn't even come down from his room to see him. It had been horrible.

And things had just gotten worse at school. He had talked too much about what he and Kurt would do on his birthday and since he had showed up at school in the morning, everybody knew that nothing went according to his plans. He had to learn once again how cruel kids could be to each other. Brendon, whose father owned several companies across the state and always had the best birthday parties was the first who pointed out that Danny's father must have forgotten about him. As the time passed, his classmates came up with different theories and Danny realised that Brendon was almost nice compared to the others. 

He knew that there was more coming, that was why he had ended up in the bathroom, crying and hoping that he would disappear somehow and he didn't have to go back to his class. But he wasn't that lucky. Thanks to Jeff who watched over him all the time, he was safe and nothing could happen to him that would give him a good excuse why to go home earlier.

He sighed and stepped out of the bathroom, sending a weak smile towards his concerned bodyguard. It was time to face his classmates again.

"You spent the whole break in the bathroom" Jeff pointed out as they walked down the corridor. "Are you alright?"

"Yes" Danny answered.

"You don't look fine" Jeff replied honestly.

"I'm fine, really" Danny said and without another word, he left Jeff and walked back to his desk.

He sat down and reached into his bag to get his things for his next class when his fingers found something unexpected. Okay, he somehow hoped that he would get another one for his birthday but he could never be sure when the next one would come.

He looked around and when he was sure that nobody could see him, he grabbed the envelope and opened it. He kept getting these letters for the last few months, always when he felt lonely or upset for something. They always came in his lunch break when he was out of the classroom and he didn't know who the sender was. Sometimes he had a brief thought that it wasn't really fine, considering what Kurt was going through, but it wasn't like those letters Kurt got. Kurt got his letters from his stalker who scared him but Danny's letters were a lot different. They surely came from one of his classmates, someone who didn't want to be his friend, at least not in front of the others, but who understood him better than anyone else. Danny was fine with it, he wasn't really a popular kid in his class, so it wasn't surprising that the other boy – because he knew for sure that it wasn't a girl – didn't want to show around him.

He read the letter quickly and smiled as he reached into his bag again, looking down at the box inside. It was a present for his birthday and he had an idea what it could be. He couldn't wait to go home, lock himself into his room and open it. He had wanted this since Brendon's birthday and he had been so jealous when the boy had showed it around, knowing that Danny wouldn't get one until his own birthday. But now he had, thanks to his friend who didn't forget about him, the only one who cared about him on this day.

~ o ~

After a few long hours at work, Blaine was able to convince Kurt to go home, so they had enough time to prepare the house for a simple birthday party for Danny. Kurt believed that it was late to do anything about it but Blaine knew that with his idea, they could make this day unforgettable for the boy. They bought a cake and a few toys, cooked lunch and with his friends' help, they decorated the living room. Everything was ready as Jeff and Danny stepped through the front door later that afternoon.

"Surprise!" Blaine shouted and jumped out from under the table where he had been hidden, waiting for Danny to arrive.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea because Danny jumped in fear when he heard his voice, looking around with wide eyes. Yeah, playing games with a boy whose father had a stalker and lived in fear was certainly not a good idea but it was too late to do something about it.

"Happy birthday, sweetie" Kurt smiled and walked to Danny to hug him. The boy relaxed immediately, taking deep breaths.

"See? I told you they didn't forget about your birthday" Jeff smiled. Danny had shared his concerns with him in the car, believing that Kurt didn't know which day it was or he was just too busy to think about him. But it was certainly not true.

Danny smiled shyly as he looked around in the living room. He had never had a surprise birthday party before and he was excited to have one now, with only those people around he trusted. And he certainly couldn't wait to tell Brendon and his friends how cool his father was. 

"You thought that I would forget about you?" Kurt asked gently.

"I..." Danny looked away, his face turning scarlet.

"You know how important you are for me, right?" Kurt asked as he took Danny's hands. "I know that this isn't what you wanted or what you deserve but... You will have a real party once this craziness is over."

"It's fine" Danny replied. "I didn't want a big party anyway."

It was a lie and Kurt knew it, no matter how hard Danny tried to fool him. He knew the boy better than anyone after all.

"I love you, honey" Kurt said and pulled Danny into his arms again. "And I know that I told you this a few times and you don't believe me anymore, but I won't do this again. I promise. I will be here for you whenever you need me."

"You have to do me pancakes because you missed our afternoon yesterday" Danny smiled. "You promised."

"I did" Kurt nodded. "And you will have those pancakes tomorrow."

"We don't have pancakes now but we have something better" Blaine said as he stepped closer. "Your favourite snacks, a delicious lunch and a very good looking cake you will hopefully like. And presents, of course. Where do you want to start?"

Danny smiled and ran to the boxes on the table, looking at them with shining eyes.

"Open them" Kurt nodded encouragingly.

And Danny didn't hesitate any longer. He grabbed the first box from the table and freed it from the wrapping paper.

"Wow" he whispered. It was a book he had seen at the mall a few months earlier and Kurt had promised him to buy it.

"Let's see the next" Jeff said, seemingly just as excited as Danny was.

"You're a big kid, do you know that?" Nick smiled beside him.

"I am. And you like it" Jeff winked, smiling in satisfaction when Nick turned scarlet.

Danny opened his presents in record time, showing them around excitedly. Kurt had made sure that they only bought things Danny wanted, the only thing missing was that action figure because he couldn't find one and there was no way that he would give his son the one his stalker had left for him in his dressing room, but he made himself a mental note to buy it later.

"Who's hungry?" Blaine asked when Danny finished opening the boxes.

The boy shook his head, too busy trying his new toys to pay attention to the grumbling of his empty stomach. Kurt knelt down beside him and put a gentle hand onto Danny's shoulder.

"You can play with them later but you should eat something first" he said.

"I'm not hungry" Danny said, the noises coming from his stomach betraying him.

"Yes, you are" Kurt smiled and got back to his feet, pulling Danny with him. "Come on, we made your favourites."

Danny sighed but joined the adults at the table. 

The afternoon passed quickly but it was truly the best Danny had ever had. After eating lunch and cake, he sat down with Kurt and Blaine to play with his new toys. Jeff and Nick joined them for a while, too, while the others went back to work. Danny enjoyed that part the most because Jeff was a funny guy and clearly loved playing with him more than anyone else. Danny was slightly disappointed when he and Nick had to leave but he laughed with the others when Jeff pretended to cry as Nick dragged him out of the room. Kurt and Blaine stayed with him until the night came and he had to go to sleep. He was so happy that nobody disturbed them during the afternoon and Kurt was all his for a few hours.

After he fed Cat and made sure Danny was in his bed, ready to sleep, Kurt walked back downstairs to help Blaine and Wes in the kitchen.

"You don't have to do this, you know" he said as he walked inside, watching the two men at the counter, washing the dishes.

"This is my favourite part of the dinner" Blaine winked.

"Only because you can't cook and that's the only thing you can do" Wes pointed out.

"Look who's talking" Blaine said, gently elbowing his friend.

"At least I admit that I don't like this and only do it because you asked me to help you" Wes replied.

"You can leave if you want" Kurt said. "I can help Blaine now."

"Go" Blaine whispered into Wes's ear and pushed him forward.

"Would you leave us alone, so we can make out, Wes? Of course, Blaine. Thank you, Wes" Wes muttered as he walked out of the kitchen.

Kurt smiled as he watched him leave and then walked to Blaine, putting his arms around his neck.

"I like his idea" he said. "What about we skip this part and go straight to kissing?"

"Good thought, my dear" Blaine said, quickly drying his hands, so he could pull Kurt into his arms.

"Thank you" Kurt said as he pulled away from Blaine a few minutes later.

"For what?" Blaine asked.

"For today. You saved Danny's birthday, you know?" Kurt smiled.

"Nah, that's not true" Blaine said.

"It is" Kurt nodded. "I'm so lucky that I have you."

"Is that so?" Blaine smiled. "Well, if you're in the mood, we could move upstairs and have an adult program, too."

"What about the others?" Kurt asked, looking at the kitchen's door.

"Kurt, they're not stupid" Blaine said.

"I was talking about your job" Kurt laughed.

"Oh, yes" Blaine nodded. "Give me five minutes to check on the guys."

"Don't be late" Kurt whispered flirtily and pressed a kiss to Blaine's cheek before walking to the door.

Blaine rushed forward to open the door for Kurt and then followed him until the living room. Kurt winked as he turned to the stairs, his fingers 'accidentally' brushing over Blaine pants between his legs.

"Five minutes" Kurt said, stepping away from him.

"Five minutes" Blaine nodded quickly and ran towards the camera room as fast as he could.

~ o ~

When Kurt left him alone, Danny waited a few minutes in his bed, to make sure he was finally alone. When Kurt didn't come back, he sat up and opened his bag that was lying beside his bed on the floor. Still smiling after the beautiful afternoon, he lifted the box out of his bag and finally opened it. His smile grew wider when he saw what was under the wrapping paper: it was the action figure he wanted so badly. He quickly opened the box and took the toy into his hands. It was perfect, like he had imagined it. Brendon hadn't let him touch his own when he had brought it to school but Danny didn't mind anymore. Finally, he had his own. It wasn't like he didn't like the presents he had gotten from Kurt but this one... it was the best present he could wish for.

He put the toy onto his nightstand and opened the envelope to go through the short letter again.

Happy birthday, Danny!  
I know you've wanted this for a long time.

He smiled again as he opened the drawer of his nightstand and took his previous letters into his hands. He liked reading them after bad days. They were all written onto the same blue letter paper and there was a small figure on the bottom of the letters his friend drew for him. Always the same. A black cat that reminded him on Cat, his own pet. It was insane because Cat was a spider but if he watched the drawings long enough, they almost seemed like spiders.

He went through the last few letters, sighing heavily. It was a hard time for him and Kurt had his own problems,not seeing how hard it was for Danny, but the letters gave him the strength to survive. It was only the matter of time and things would go back to normal. That man would get caught sooner or later and then the Warblers would be gone and Danny could go back to his usual life. Okay, Blaine would still be there but Danny liked him. He was good to Kurt, he made him happy. And it seemed like Blaine cared about him, too, what was new for him but certainly something good.

He grabbed his letters and pushed them back into the drawer, shutting it slowly. There were dozens of them and he had to find them another place soon because he could barely shut the drawer from them. He looked at his new toy, hesitating for a second before putting it down onto the bed beside him. It was so easy to imagine that it was a real superhero who watched him as he slept and made sure that nothing happened to him or Kurt.

It gave him hope that things would be fine soon.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

"This is the most horrible thing I have ever seen" Blaine muttered, watching the huge spider with wide eyes.

It was a peaceful evening or at least it had started as one. They had gotten back from work together, had eaten dinner with Danny and then watched TV for a while. When the boy had seemed tired, Kurt had sent him to the bathroom and then asked Blaine to help him feed Cat. It had seemed like a good idea. Blaine didn't really like the spider but he had never seen such a thing and he had been curious how these things worked. Well, now he understood why Kurt did the dirty job and didn't let Danny see this.

"He usually doesn't play with his food so long" Kurt said.

"This is disgusting" Blaine grimanced but leaned closer to watch the spider. "I feel like I'm gonna be sick but still... God, look at those legs."

Kurt raised an eyebrow in response.

"I know, I know. Back off and let him feed" Blaine sighed and joined Kurt on the bed. "Is everything alright? You're so quiet."

"I'm tired" Kurt answered.

"Are you sure you don't want to see a doctor? I don't think it's okay, Kurt" Blaine said in concern.

"I don't need a doctor, Blaine. I'm perfectly healthy" Kurt sighed. "I just need a break."

"It's only a couple of weeks" Blaine smiled and squeezed Kurt's hand. "You will have two whole months just for yourself."

"And you. And Danny" Kurt smiled.

"Well, at least the two of you can go on an amazing holiday" Blaine smiled.

"What about you?" Kurt frowned.

"I have to work, Kurt" Blaine said. "Hopefully, we will catch your stalker soon and you won't need us anymore. Which means we can have new cases. Something easy for a change, I hope."

"Do you really have to work?" Kurt asked, kissing Blaine's neck lightly. "I was hoping that you would take out a few weeks and stay with us."

"It would be great, yeah" Blaine nodded. "But I can't. I need the money from these jobs."

"I have enough money for both of us, you know" Kurt said.

"I would never accept that" Blaine said. 

"Fine" Kurt sighed and lay down onto Danny's bed. "But don't come to me complaining if you get stuck with an annoying bitch while I enjoy my well deserved holiday in France."

Blaine smiled and looked at the bathroom's door briefly before joining Kurt. Since there was no sign of Danny, he hoped that they had a minute for themselves and quickly got beside Kurt, kissing him. Apparently, Blaine didn't see how close the edge of the bed was and as he sneaked his arms around Kurt, he lost his balance and fell from the bed, bringing Kurt with him.

"Ouch" Blaine groaned under the weight of the other man.

"It was a stupid idea" Kurt laughed as he got up, helping Blaine get back to his feet.

"I know" Blaine said.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, I guess" Blaine replied.

Unfortunately, as he tried to get up with Kurt's help, he hit his head into the edge of the half-open drawer and fell back down, hissing in pain.

"Why am I so unlucky?" Blaine muttered.

"I told him to clean up in his room" Kurt sighed, shaking his head.

He sat back down onto the bed and decided to finish Danny's job. He couldn't stand the mess the boy had left behind and as lucky as Blaine was, he would trip over something if he wasn't careful. Kurt grabbed a few toys from the bed and throw them into the box beside the bed and then went back to the nightstand. He was about to close the drawer when something caught his attention. There was another toy in the drawer and he had no idea why Danny kept it there. It seemed like... Did Danny try to hide it from him?

Kurt frowned and pulled out the toy, almost dropping it in surprise. It was the action figure Kurt couldn't get him for his birthday, the one his stalker had sent as a gift for the boy. Kurt remembered getting rid of it, he was 100 % sure that Danny couldn't get it. Which meant he had to get it somewhere else.

Horrible thoughts went down in his mind as he dug deeper in the drawer and pulled out a few letters.

"What are these?" Blaine asked as he joined Kurt, seeing how pale the other man had gone.

"Oh my God" Kurt whispered as he went through the first letter.

He wouldn't think too much of them if he hadn't been the target of a lunatic. But he was. And the sight of these letters made him sick, he knew very well why. 

That was the moment when the bathroom's door opened and Danny stepped out. When he saw his letters in Kurt's hands, his eyes widened and stopped immediately.

"Where are these letters from?" Kurt asked shakily.

Danny knew that Kurt would be angry with him if he told him where he had gotten them. He bit his lip nervously and took a step back.

"Where did you get these letters?" Kurt asked hysterically.

"I-I found them" Danny said quietly, seemingly scared of Kurt's reaction.

"Where?" Kurt asked.

Danny gulped nervously and shook his head. Blaine stepped forward, putting an arm around Kurt. He knew what Kurt thought and he had a horrible feeling that he was right but if they scared Danny, the boy would shut down and not tell them anything. They had to calm down.

"It's okay, Danny. Kurt's not angry with you" Blaine said gently. "Right?"

After a moment, Kurt took a deep breath and nodded. He hated seeing that Danny was scared of him and he knew that he had to calm down for their sake. He forced out a small smile and stepped forward, crouching down in front of Danny.

"Danny, you have to tell us everything. This could be important" he said gently.

Danny let out a small sob and threw himself into Kurt's arms. He wasn't stupid, he knew that something was wrong. And it meant he had done something wrong.

"I'm so sorry" he said.

"It's okay, honey" Kurt said, running his hands up and down Danny's back. "Tell me everything. Where did you get these letters?"

"I found them in my bag" Danny said. "Someone left them there for me in the lunch breaks."

"Do you know who it was?" Blaine asked.

Danny shook his head.

"No, I never see them" he said, crying harder. "I did something wrong, right?"

Kurt looked at Blaine, not knowing what to say. Blaine shook his head. They had to get through the letters to know if they were right.

"No, Danny" Blaine said. "You didn't do anything wrong. But we need to read your letters, okay?"

"Okay" Dany said quietly.

"The toy... Did you find it in your bag, too?" Kurt asked slowly.

"It was a present for my birthday" Danny said, looking away. 

Kurt pulled him closer, hoping that this way Danny couldn't see his horrified look. What if they were right? He was almost 100 % sure that they were. But if they were, it meant that his stalker got close to Danny without any of them noticing it. He tightened his arms around the boy as he thought about the horrible possibility of the stalker getting Danny, using him to get closer to Kurt.

"Let's go downstairs, okay?" Blaine said. He had a bad feeling that none of them would sleep that night.

~ o ~

They spent the whole night in the living room, going through every letter Danny had gotten. It turned out that there were dozens of them. Kurt freaked out when he realised that it had started months ago and it had stayed hidden from him for so long. He kept Danny in his arms who cried himself into sleep at one point but Kurt was too scared of letting go of him. Blaine offered him to bring Danny upstairs to his room but Kurt didn't let him. He was scared that if he let Danny out of his arms, he would lose him.

Everything went worse as they read the letters. They were all nice, too nice, and the sender must have known a lot about them. He knew how Danny felt, when he was upset. He knew what to write to get the boy's trust. 

"I can't believe we didn't notice this" Wes sighed, shaking his head.

"It had started way before we got here" Nick said.

"He should have told me" Kurt whispered.

Blaine pulled him into his arms, kissing his forehead.

"Don't blame yourself" he said.

"I'm not" Kurt said. "I'm blaming you."

He tightened his arms around Danny and slightly pulled away from Blaine to look at the Warblers.

"How could it happen?" he asked. "You were supposed to keep him safe! You were supposed to find things like this!"

"Kurt..." Blaine started but Kurt silenced him with one look.

"No, Blaine. This is all your fault" Kurt said, raising the letter he had in his hand.

Blaine took the letter from him and quickly went through it. He understood why Kurt was so upset. A few weeks ago, Danny had received a letter in which he had been asked to meet the sender after school. Obviously, it hadn't worked since Danny had never been alone and had gone home after school every single day, but it had been too close. 

Kurt reached up and wipped his face with a shaky hand. It wasn't the best time to cry. His son was in danger, he could have gotten caught by his stalker and he wanted to find the person responsible for this. He looked around and his eyes landed on Jeff.

"You were with him most of the time" he said, his voice dangerously quiet.

"You heard Danny. He got the letters in his lunch breaks when we were out of the classroom" Jeff said.

"You should have noticed it!" Kurt shouted.

Danny stirred in his arms but went still again.

"Kurt, I'm sure that it's not Jeff's fault" Blaine tried to reason. "He did his job. He followed Danny everywhere but you can't expect him to be at two places at the same time. It's impossible."

"You promised me that we would be safe with you" Kurt said as he turned to Blaine. "You said that he wouldn't go after Danny because he only wanted me!"

"We don't even know if these letters are from the same person" David said.

"They are" Kurt replied. "I received a handwritten letter on Danny's birthday, too, remember? It was from the same person, I would recognize his writing from anywhere."

"I will make another research" Nick said quietly.

"And you better find something this time" Kurt said angrily as he stood up. "I've waited for too long. I want you to find this man immediately. I don't care what you have to do to get to him but find him and make sure he's locked up in a cell where he can't hurt us anymore!"

"We're doing everything we can" Wes said. "This guy's clever and careful, it's not as easy as you think."

"It is" Kurt replied. "You get paid for this job, the least you can do is to keep yourself to our contract and don't let things like this happen to us! You promised me to keep my son safe, so you better don't let anything happen to him again or I swear, I will make sure you never get another job in this city."

With that, Kurt turned around and walked to the stairs, carrying Danny in his arms, leaving the five stunned Warblers in the living room. Seconds later, Kurt slammed his bedroom's door closed, letting them know that he wanted to be alone with Danny for the rest of the night.

"That was harsh" Jeff muttered.

"I should talk to him" Blaine said, looking towards the stairs.

"Leave him" Nick said. "I think he wants to be alone now."

"Yeah, he needs to calm down" David agreed.

"I can't believe he said those things" Blaine sighed.

"He's scared" Wes said. "I don't like this side of Kurt but he's kind of right. This guy's been fooling with him for months and on the top of that, he almost got Danny without any of us noticing it. It was a huge mistake."

"How was I supposed to know?" Jeff asked angrily. Okay, he was mostly angry with himself. He had been there with Danny most of the time and Kurt was right, he should have noticed that something was wrong. But damn, the kid was so smart.

"Nobody blames you, Jeff" Nick said, squeezing his hand. "Kurt didn't mean that."

"But I do" Jeff said. "I just don't understand. How could Danny keep it from us? I mean... We should have noticed that he was hiding something from us."

"He didn't know how important these letters were" Nick said. "He's just a kid. I don't think he understands what is going on."

"This guy told him what Danny wanted to hear" Blaine said. "It was easy to make him trust."

"I can't believe Danny almost met him" Jeff shook his head. "I don't want to think about what he wanted from the kid."

"That's why we have to find him as soon as possible" Blaine said seriously. "He's dangerous. If he went into all this trouble to get in touch with Danny, he could be capable of anything."

"But at least we are one step closer" Nick muttered.

"What do you mean?" Blaine asked.

"It has to be someone from the school" Nick explained. "An outsider couldn't just walk into the classroom, someone would have noticed it."

"You're a genius!" Jeff said, kissing Nick's forehead that made the man's eyes go wide in surprise.

"Alright, gentlemen. Let's get to work!" Blaine said. "We will find him this time. I can feel it."

~ o ~

The next day passed quickly. Kurt called the police in the morning and told them everything they had found out the previous night. Soon after that, two policemen arrived and questioned them, mostly Danny. The poor boy was so scared, they could barely get anything out of him, no matter how nice they tried to be to him. When they left, Danny went back to his room since he had nothing else to do. Kurt didn't let him go to school and was determined to keep him at home until they found his stalker. He was too scared of losing the boy and he was afraid that that lunatic was just waiting for the right moment when Kurt let Danny out of his sight. He couldn't let it happen.

Unfortunately, Danny didn't really understand Kurt's true intention and felt like he was punished for what he had done. It just made him feel worse than ever. He didn't talk to anyone, barely ate and usually stayed in his room, crying silently. He blamed himself for being so stupid, for believing that his letters were innocent. He should have known that it was too good to be true. And now he felt lonelier than before. 

Blaine who tried to soothe Kurt before he could explode and make everything right between him and Danny, went to find him later that night after a pointless conversation with Kurt. Kurt was deaf to everything that didn't include new informations about his stalker and since Blaine and his team couldn't find anything new yet, Blaine gave up in the end and went to talk to Danny. He hated that he seemed so upset and felt like it was his job as Kurt's boyfriend to make sure he was alright.

"May I come in?" he asked as he peeked inside.

Danny was lying on his bed with his head buried into his pillow and didn't look up at him but Blaine saw as he nodded slightly. Blaine took a deep breath and walked inside, shutting the door behind him. He walked to Danny and sat down, hoping that the boy would look at him but it didn't happen. Blaine reached out and ran his fingers through Danny's hair, smiling. Danny had the same curls as him but unlike Blaine, he looked great with his curly hair. It was cute.

"How are you?" Blaine asked quietly.

"I ruined everything" Danny muttered.

"Why do you say that?" Blaine frowned.

Danny turned to look at him. He was crying again and he looked horrible.

"Kurt hates me" Danny said. "I didn't talk to him about the letters and now he doesn't want to see me."

"You two should stop doing this" Blaine muttered to himself. "Listen, Danny. I know for sure that Kurt doesn't hate you. Those letters scared him and that's why he acts differently. You will be fine once we catch his stalker."

"I didn't know that they were from him" Danny whispered.

"I know. We all know" Blaine corrected himself. "Noone blames you. To be honest, I would have done the same."

"Really?" Danny asked.

"You feel lonely, right?" Blaine asked and continued when Danny nodded. "I was just like you before I met the Warblers. I didn't have any friends and I felt always so alone. If someone had sent me letters, I would have thought that they cared about me. I would have trusted them."

Danny nodded and looked away sadly.

"I know that you're tired but I would like to ask a few questions" Blaine started slowly. He didn't want to scare Danny but he was their best chance to get to Kurt's stalker. If Nick was right, Danny should have seen the man, maybe even talked to him.

"Okay" Danny said hesitantly.

"Don't be scared" Blaine smiled. "There's no wrong answer, okay? And if you feel uncomfortable, we can stop."

"Okay" Danny said again.

"Let's start with the letters. Close your eyes and try to remember the first time you got one" Blaine said.

Danny did as he was told.

"It was after winter break" he said. "I was upset because Kurt worked between the holidays and we had to come back from grandpa earlier. I was jealous because my classmates spent the whole break with their families but Kurt wasn't here."

"How did you find the letter?" Blaine asked.

"I went back from lunch and reached into to my bag to get my things. That's when I found the envelope. I opened it and read the letter" Danny said.

"Why didn't you tell Kurt?" Blaine asked.

Danny opened his eyes, looking at Blaine in fear.

"It's okay. No wrong answer, remember?" Blaine said, trying to be as reassuring as possible.

"I was angry with him for avoiding me" Danny admitted. "I didn't feel like he deserved to know about them. But then they kept coming and I was afraid of telling Kurt because I thought he would be angry. I liked the letters, they always made me feel better. And I thought that Kurt would do something to stop them."

"He just wants the best for you" Blaine said gently.

"I know" Danny said, looking away in shame. "I was stupid."

"You two should talk more to each other" Blaine said. "Okay... Did you get other presents or just that toy?"

"Just that one" Danny said. "For my birthday. I wanted it since Brendon's birthday."

"Did you tell someone about it?" Blaine asked.

"Uhm... Yes, Mandy" Danny said.

"Anybody else?" Blaine asked. "An adult maybe?"

Danny lifted his head slowly, biting his lip nervously.

"It's okay. You can tell me everything" Blaine said.

"There was that man..."

~ o ~

"Nick, you have to make a research on one Mr Wilkinson. He works at Danny's school" Blaine said and he burst into the room.

"Who's the guy?" Jeff asked from beside Nick.

"Possible suspect" Blaine answered.

From what Danny had told him, it seemed like they finally had a lead. Something was wrong with this guy, that was sure but maybe it was something more...

"Seth Wilkinson" Nick said as he went through the informations he found. "Janitor at Danny's school."

"Since when?" Blaine asked.

"Since January" Nick answered.

"Danny got the first letter in January" Jeff said excitedly. 

"It's not everything" Nick continued. "He worked in the theater, too. He got kicked out because... he tried to break into a dressing room."

"Kurt's?" Blaine asked.

"I don't know" Nick said.

They were silent for a few minutes, watching as Nick went through the informations about Wilkinson. 

"Look at this" he said, pointing at the screen. "Wilkinson is his mother's maiden name. He changed it two years ago after he got out of jail."

"Jail?" Jeff asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. He was sentenced for abusing his stepbrother" Nick said, grimancing as he read the report. "This man's sick. He followed the kid across the state and threatened to kill him when he got together with his girlfriend."

"And they let him out?" Jeff asked in disbelief. "They-they let him work around kids? This is unbelievable."

"Call the police" Blaine said. "Let them know what we found about him."

"Got it" Nick nodded, reaching for his phone.

~ o ~

The next day, Kurt got an early visit from the police. The man working on his case greeted him with something unbelievable and he still felt like he was dreaming when he closed the door behind the man. Blaine who watched the scene from the corner of the living room, walked to him and sneaked his arms around Kurt.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I can't believe they found him" Kurt said as he took a step back and turned around to face Blaine. "I just... Is it real?"

"You heard him" Blaine smiled. 

The police officer had told them that they had gone to Wilkinson's place the previous night and had found enough proof to lock him up for a while. Nick had also found some more since the idiot had paid with his credit card for the letter papers and the toy Danny had gotten, so even if he denied that he had anything to do with the case, he couldn't get away with it so easily.

"I'm not dreaming, right?" Kurt asked hopefully.

To be honest, he had imagined this moment so many times in the past few months but he had thought that he would feel relieved and happy. But now he didn't feel any of that. He was scared that it was just a dream.

"You're awake" Blaine said. "And this is real. Nick made a research and found a lot of things against him. I'm sure that the police has even more."

"Is it over?" Kurt asked hopefully.

"It is" Blaine nodded.

To his surprise, Kurt burst into tears and threw himself into Blaine's arms.

"Kurt? Are you alright?" Blaine asked in concern.

"I was so rude to you and I'm so sorry" Kurt cried. "You did it. It was you who found him."

"Don't forget my amazing team and your incredible son" Blaine said. "It was a team work."

"Danny?" Kurt asked in confusion.

"We had a talk" Blaine shrugged. "You would be surprised how much kids can remember if you ask the right questions."

"I-I should talk to him" Kurt said, stepping away from Blaine again. "And the others, too. God, I have so much to do. Everyone hates me right now."

"We will be fine. Go, tell Danny" Blaine said, pushing Kurt lightly towards the stairs.

Kurt smiled at him one more time before turning towards the stairs. Blaine sighed as he looked after him, his heart heavy for some reason.

"Does it mean we will have a party tonight?" Jeff asked as he left the camera room, seemingly very happily.

"I'm not in the mood" Blaine answered.

"Come on, Blaine, we deserve it" Jeff said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Be happy. We found the guy."

"I know but..." Blaine took a deep breath, shaking his head.

"Are you upset because your intuitions didn't work this time?" Jeff asked.

"They always work" Blaine muttered.

"Nobody's perfect" Jeff said. "Come on, let's celebrate! We really deserve it."

Blaine nodded hesitantly. Rationally, he knew that they did a good job and they had found the right person but still... Until Wilkinson had come into the picture, he had been perfectly sure that Jeremy was the guy they were searching for. He could feel it. But maybe Jeff was right and he only felt that way because he and Jeremy hated each other. Maybe he just saw things that weren't even there. There were still things he didn't really understand but he had to admit that the proofs were all against him. Rationally, they had found Kurt's real stalker and his boyfriend was finally safe.

He just hoped that his uneasy feeling would pass with time, too.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I'm sorry for the long wait. I was so busy, I had an important project at work, exams and papers at school, I have several conferences coming up, so I had no time for my stories. But I'm finally back!   
> This is one of my favourite chapters. I hope you like it, too. Enjoy!

Kurt woke up to the loss of Blaine's arms around him. He groaned and opened his eyes, sighing sadly that Blaine had to leave so early again. 

It was almost three weeks after they had caught Kurt's stalker. Since Kurt and Danny were safe and the guys had no more work left, they had moved out of his place and to their next client. Kurt hated it. He had been so used to the Warblers' presence in his home, the house felt so awfully quiet and empty without them. And there was Blaine who didn't spend his days with Kurt anymore, only the Sundays which was Blaine's day off and it remained their date day, with Danny accompanying them of course. 

Luckily, since the Warblers' new client wasn't in danger and only needed the boys to show off for the paparazzi, Blaine could leave every night to spend some time with Kurt. They didn't talk about it but Blaine practically lived with them now, even if he didn't consider the house as his home. He still had his apartment, although he was never there. 

Kurt sighed again as Blaine got into his pants and the nice sight of his ass disappeared under the dark material. Blaine turned around, finally noticing that his boyfriend was watching him and smiled at Kurt, sitting down beside him to kiss him.

"Go back to sleep" Blaine said gently. "It's early."

"Do you have to go?" Kurt asked, running his fingers down Blaine's chest.

"Yes" Blaine smiled. "Ms Williams likes to leave early, besides I have to save David from her clutches."

Kurt laughed. Adaline Williams, only known as Adaline, was a young but talented singer who loved spotlight and the extra attention she got thanks to the boys. Apparently, she had a crush on David and the poor guy had to be with her all the time which he didn't take too well. Blaine had promised him a few days off, so he could be safe from Adaline for a little while.

"At least she doesn't want to lure him into her bed" Kurt said, knowing what horrible situations the guys had survived. Blaine had told him everything.

"Not yet" Blaine said. "I 'accidentally' told her about the Warbler rules and she seems to understand that we don't date clients."

Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"You're the only exception" Blaine said.

"Very good" Kurt said as he grabbed the back of Blaine's neck and pulled him closer to kiss him. "I would hate to step in if someone tried to steal you away from me."

"That won't happen. I'm all yours" Blaine smiled.

"Speaking of it... Can we finally make that announcement? The press doesn't leave me alone" Kurt said. "They want to know everything about you and it's getting hard to hide from them."

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Blaine asked. To be honest, he was somewhat scared. Kurt was famous, a very talented man with so many fans and he... well, he was nobody. 

"Blaine, I told you so many times" Kurt said as he grabbed Blaine's hands. "I'm not ashamed of you and I don't care what they think about us. I just... I want to make this real. I want to be able to kiss you in public, hold your hand and everything couples usually do. We deserve that."

"Okay" Blaine nodded. "So how does it look like? Do I have to give in interview or what?"

"No" Kurt smiled. "Just a short article that confirms the news about us. People usually don't care too much about my private life, so they will hopefully leave us alone."

"What if they won't?" Blaine asked.

"Then we have to answer a few questions" Kurt answered, hoping that it wasn't too much for Blaine.

"Okay. I think I can do that" Blaine nodded.

"Amazing!" Kurt said excitedly.

"I should really go" Blaine said and gave Kurt a last kiss. "It's gonna be a long day. It will be just Nick, Jeff and me."

"We should do something about that" Kurt sighed. Nick and Jeff were almost unbearable lately. They fought about the smallest things, not seeing that the solution was really simple: they needed each other.

"Believe me, we tried" Blaine said as he walked to the door. "I don't think there's anything we could do. They have to realise their feelings for each other and believe that their relationship could work. I just hope it will happen soon. This isn't good for the team."

Kurt nodded, already thinking about what he could do. The Warblers had done so much for him and his son, he had to help them in return.

~ o ~

"Hey, Kurt" Jeff said as he walked into the small café two days later. Kurt had asked him to meet him there, not knowing what the man had in his mind.

"Hey, Jeff" Kurt greeted him. "Thank you for coming."

"You said that it was urgent" Jeff said.

"It is" Kurt nodded. "Sit down."

Jeff sat down across him, waiting for Kurt to tell him what he needed.

"I want to talk about you and Nick" Kurt said hesitantly.

Jeff sighed in frustration, throwing back his head.

"Look, Kurt, it's really nice of you but I don't think there's anything to discuss" Jeff said.

"That's not true" Kurt said. "You clearly need help and I'm willing to help you."

"You can't help me!" Jeff tried to convince him. "Look, we tried it back in high school but it didn't work. Nick and I are so different. He's nice and kind and quiet and I... Well, I'm not."

"Oh, come on, we both that it's not true" Kurt smiled. "You helped me and Blaine get back together. Hell, you convinced him the first time that we should try to be together. Why can't you do the same with Nick?"

Jeff took a deep breath, looking at Kurt nervously.

"It's not like I didn't try" he said. "I just... When we try to talk, I always say something stupid that hurts him and then he storms out of the room and doesn't talk to me for days. I know it's stupid of me but I can't help it. I'm so nervous when I'm around him, I try to make him like me and it just comes out."

Kurt wasn't really paying attention in the end. As Jeff told him what his problem was, he remembered what Wes and David had told him a few weeks back, that Jeff had planned to lock him and Blaine up to get them back together. Kurt looked up at the man across him, smiling evilly. He had an amazing idea how to make Nick listen.

"Sorry, I have to go" Kurt said as he jumped up from his seat and stormed out of the café before Jeff could react.

"Kurt... Bu- What?" Jeff frowned. He thought that Kurt wanted to help him but it looked like he saw his relationship with Nick just as hopeless as the two men.

~ o ~

"I can't believe you're asking me for this" David sighed heavily as he took off his shirt, ready to face Adaline.

"You're our hero" Wes smirked. "If everything goes according to the plan, you will help two hopeless souls find each other."

David raised an eyebrow at that.

"Yes, it's from Kurt" Wes admitted. "I don't think it will work but it will surely be fun."

"And I won't be there to enjoy it" David sighed sadly.

"No, but look at that beauty out there" Wes said, turning David, so he could see Adaline in the garden. "She's all yours for the afternoon."

"Lucky me" David muttered.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do" Wes winked and pushed his friend forward.

"I certainly won't" David sighed as he stepped forward, forcing out a small smile when Adaline pointed him out and smiled at him.

"David!" the girl cried out excitedly, running her eyes up and down David's shirtless form. "God, look at those abs. I bet you work out a lot."

"Yeah" David said awkwardly, looking at Wes for help but his friend only held up his thumbs and turned to leave. They had so much to do after all and he was sure that David would keep Adaline company for the few hours they needed.

"Come, swim with me" Adaline said, pulling David forward by the belt of his jeans.

David gulped nervously and hoped that their plan would be successful. He didn't want to do this for nothing.

~ o ~

Nick smiled as he heard Jeff muttering beside him. He had gotten a call from Blaine about half an hour earlier, asking them to come to Tina's office and pick up Danny, so Blaine could take Kurt out for dinner. Nick had said yes since both of them liked Danny and they hadn't seen him that much lately, thanks to their new assignment. He knew that Jeff was happy to see him, too, and he only acted like this to annoy Nick.

"Hey, it will be fine" Nick smiled. "Don't be so gruff, I know that you can't wait to hang out with Danny."

"It's true but I still don't think it's the best they can do" Jeff replied. "They have a kid now and it comes with a lot of responsibility. They can't just pass Danny to their friends when they want to fuck each other."

"Blaine wants to take Kurt out for dinner" Nick said.

"It's the same" Jeff replied.

Nick rolled his eyes as they reached the elevator and he pressed the button, waiting for the door to open. When it opened, Jeff rushed inside before him, without even looking at him. He sighed and stepped inside after Jeff, pressing the right button to Tina's floor. He turned away to face Jeff as the door slid closed.

"We could do something with Danny, too" Nick offered. "Watch a movie or something."

"I'm not sure I..."

Suddenly, the elevator came to a halt, making Jeff even more frustrated. He sighed and walked to the door, pressing a few buttons.

"Shouldn't it make a buzzing noise or something?" he asked as he tried again.

"I don't know" Nick said, leaning down to the speaker. "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

He banged on the door a few times, then turned back to try the buttons again. Still, nothing.

"I can't believe this is happening!" Nick said in frustration. "We can't get stuck in an elevator without any help! At least the speaker should work."

Jeff wasn't really listening as he took a few steps back, his mind working rapidly. Yeah, Nick was right. It was too much for an accident, especially here and now. It was way too familiar and Jeff had a bad feeling about that.

"I don't think it's an accident" he said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked as he turned to him.

"I think they locked us up here for a reason" Jeff said slowly, afraid of Nick's reaction.

"This is insane" Nick said. "Blaine would never do this to us. Hell, he wouldn't even come up with such a thing. The only person who I know is capable of such..."

Nick fell silent, seeing the guilty expression of his friend.

"It was your stupid idea?" he gasped in disbelief.

"Nicky, this is not what you... Ouch!"

Jeff leaned down to avoid Nick's fist flying towards him but he wasn't fast enough and it landed in his right shoulder. Nick lifted his arm again but Jeff caught his wrists quickly, pressing the man to the wall.

"You have to calm down" he said quietly.

"I can't believe you're doing this!" Nick said, trying to break free from Jeff's grasp. "Haven't you played enough with me already?"

Jeff knew that he wasn't serious, he was just scared of the situation but it still hurt. He would never hurt Nick willingly.

"Okay, take a deep breath and let me explain" he said.

Nick closed his eyes for a second, taking a few calming breaths. Then he opened his eyes and nodded, waiting for Jeff to continue.

"This is a mistake" Jeff said. "Yes, I had such an idea and I shared it with Wes and David who are in trouble, by the way, but it wasn't meant for us. I wanted to get Blaine and Kurt back together and yes, I might have come up with a stupid idea but I was desperate. I wanted to help our friends."

"And to thank you, they lock you and me up in an elevator. Good job" Nick said.

"But it's not my fault, do you believe me?" Jeff asked. "Look, as much as I like holding you down like this, we should take up a more comfortable position and wait for the others to free us."

Nick glared at him for a long moment, but in the end, he nodded. Jeff released him carefully, only dropping his arms when Nick stepped away from him and sat down.

"That's it" Jeff said as he sat down beside Nick. "Just stay calm. They won't leave us here forever."

"They better don't" Nick growled.

"So what should we do in the meantime? Do you want to play something?" Jeff asked, trying to enlighten the mood.

Another angry glare was everything he got from Nick at that moment.

~ o ~

Blaine and Wes pressed their ears to the elevator's door, listening to possible sounds from inside. It had been surprisingly easy to get the security guy work with them, especially after Kurt had come up with a lie about shooting a scene for his new movie and promised the guy to have a smaller role in it. They had been all ready when Nick and Jeff stepped inside and stopped the elevator in time to lock them up securely. Now they only had to wait for them to work things out.

"Can you hear anything?" Kurt asked as he joined the others.

"No" Wes answered. "They're too quiet or..."

"Nick killed Jeff and he's getting ready to kill us, too" Blaine finished.

"This is so exciting!" Kurt said happily. "I wish I could be there when they work things out and kiss each other. It will be so romantic."

"If our plan works" Blaine pointed out.

"It has to" Kurt said. "I still believe they can get over their problems and discuss their disagreements."

"And here you can see how much you don't know these two" Wes said. "They're idiots. I'm not sure this will be enough for them to take each other seriously."

"I believe in them" Kurt said determinedly, leaning closer to the door. "When should we let them out?"

"Give them a few hours" Blaine said.

"Or days" Wes corrected.

Kurt sighed, pressing his ear to the door. He hoped that they would be successful and there was a new couple forming in there.

~ o ~

"Are you alright?" Jeff asked when he noticed how pale Nick had become. 

"Yeah" Nick answered weakly. "It's just... This is a little scary."

"Are you claustrophobic?" Jeff asked. "But it's impossible, we were locked up before and you had no problem..."

"Not in an elevator" Nick replied, gulping nervously.

"Are you scared of elevators?" Jeff asked, not really understanding.

"I got stuck in one when I was two" Nick said. "I don't remember it, of course, but I was always scared that it would happen again. And now here we are."

"Nick, this is like a room. You don't have to panic" Jeff said.

"A room hanging about three floors high and possibly killing us in any minute?" Nick said, his breathing becoming faster.

"Hey, calm down" Jeff said as he moved closer to the man to pull him into his arms. "We won't die here. The elevator works perfectly fine, this is just a stupid joke our friends came up with. We will get out of here soon."

He tightened his arms around Nick, promising himself to punch his friends once they got out of here for doing this to Nick. The other man seemed to relax in his arms and Jeff smiled at him, enjoying the situation. Yeah, he was angry with their friends but on the other hand, it was the first time for years that they could have a peaceful moment for themselves. Maybe it was a sign that he could try again. It wasn't like Nick could go anywhere right now, so he could finally tell him everything.

"We should talk about us" Jeff said quietly. "That's why they keep us here, so..."

"There's no us" Nick said quietly. "We tried and it didn't work. End of the story."

"No" Jeff said stubbornly. "I think we should discuss this."

"Jeff..."

"Just listen to me once" Jeff cut in. "I know why you're afraid but come on, it happened years ago. We're adults now, we've changed so much."

"Not enough" Nick snorted.

"Okay, I will pretend as if I didn't hear what you've said" Jeff said. "Let's see the facts first. We love each other."

"I wouldn't go that far" Nick said.

"But we're more than friends, you have to admit that" Jeff said and waited for Nick to nod before he continued. "Sadly, we have some trouble with the communication which leads to our fights."

"And here we are again" Nick sighed. "Look, Jeff, I really like you but I can't be with someone who doesn't take anything seriously. It was cute when we were in high school but we're adults now. I want a real relationship, not fooling around with someone. It doesn't feel right. I'm getting older and I feel lonely. I don't want to be alone anymore. I want a real partner, someone who loves me back, who knows what a date is. Yes, it's silly, but I want flowers and romantic songs and everything normal people have."

"Really?" Jeff asked quietly.

"Yes!" Nick answered heatedly. "Believe it or not, I have plans for the future. I want to find the right man, get married someday and I want children. It's not much but it's still my biggest dream and I want it to become real."

Jeff blinked in surprise. He and Blaine had talked a lot about this but hearing it from Nick... it was weird. Maybe because Nick had never had a real boyfriend and he couldn't imagine him with someone. Yeah, he had had stupid thoughts about having kids with him but Jeff hadn't taken that seriously. They were still young, they had a lot of time for that. Or they didn't?

Nick took a deep breath and continued.

"I'm tired of being lonely. Don't get me wrong, what we had was nice but I don't want to live in worry, not knowing when you will find yourself another nice ass to fuck. It hurts me so much, do you know that?" Nick asked quietly.

Jeff sighed sadly, not knowing what to say. He knew that he had done stupid mistakes, a lot. And now Nick thought that he didn't take him seriously. He knew that he had to show him how much Nick meant for him but he had no idea how.

"Give me a chance" he whispered. "I screwed up, I know and believe me, all I want is to show you how much you mean for me."

"I'm not sure I still want to" Nick admitted, looking away.

"Look at me" Jeff said, leaning closer to Nick. "I'm not that man, not anymore. I did a lot awful things in the past and you're right, I didn't take anything seriously. But I'm not like that anymore. I understand your feelings because I want exactly the same. I want a real relationship and yeah, I want kids, too."

"A big house..."

"With a garden where the kids could play" Jeff smiled. "See? We aren't that different after all."

"I don't know..." Nick sighed.

"One chance" Jeff said as he took Nick's hand and kissed it lightly. "Let me show you how much I love you."

He leaned closer slowly, giving Nick a chance to pull away but he didn't move, so Jeff took a deep breath and closed the distance between them. He loved kissing Nick but this one was certainly something different, something new. For the first time, they completely understood each other, they talked to each other openly, without fear. And it was nice.

Jeff pulled away slightly, smirking.

"I would buy you some flowers but since we're trapped in an elevator..."

"Oh, shut up and kiss me" Nick said and grabbed the back of Jeff's neck, pulling him into another kiss.

~ o ~

"We should let them out" Kurt said, checking the time on his watch. "It was fun but they're surely panicking that we forgot about them."

"You're right" Blaine agreed. "We shouldn't ruin anything and..."

"And David needs to be saved, too" Wes said.

"Okay" Kurt nodded and stood up to get help.

He came back a few minutes later and soon after that, they heard as the elevator came into move again. 

"We're so dead" Wes said as they waited for the door to open.

"They will be angry and kill us, maybe even torture us for a while" Blaine continued.

"Shouldn't we run? Or just pretend as if we didn't know anything about it?" Kurt offered.

"I don't think they would believe us" Blaine sighed. "Get your money ready, honey. I guess we have to flee to Mexico."

The door opened with a loud bang and they took a few steps back, preparing themselves for the two angry bodyguards. Surprisingly, nobody stepped out of the elevator. Kurt frowned and leaned forward to peek inside, careful not to go too far.

"Oh. Dear. God" he gasped.

Blaine pulled him back, afraid of what they would find inside and stepped forward with Wes. As their eyes landed on their friends, lying on the elevator's floor in a situation they would never want to see them, their mouths fell open, not knowing what to say.

"Well, it worked out better than we thought" Wes commented when he was recovered from the first shock.

Jeff who was determined to show Nick what a gentleman he could be, pulled the blushing man behind him to hide him from the others' sight and turned to their friends as if nothing had happened.

"You have a lot to explain but as you can see, we're busy. So let's talk about it in the morning and give us some more time, okay?" he asked.

"Of course" Blaine nodded, stepping away hastily, so Jeff could close the door again.

Luckily, Wes seemed a lot cooler and pulled him and Kurt away from the elevator, stopping on the other side of the corridor. Blaine leaned against the wall, his eyes still wide from what he had just seen.

"We did it" Kurt said, a huge smile spreading across his face.

"We did" Wes nodded. "We should have done it earlier. Who knew they would react like this?"

"They will be fine, right?" Blaine asked, looking towards the elevator again.

"From what we saw, I would say more than fine" Kurt laughed.

"I need a drink" Wes said.

"Me too" Blaine nodded. 

"I thought you didn't drink anymore" Kurt frowned.

"I will make an exception this time" Blaine said. "But we will go somewhere safe. I'm not really comfortable with public places anymore."

"Adaline has a nice selection of drinks" Wes offered. "Besides, I'm 100 % sure that David will need one, too."

"Let's go then" Kurt smiled, pushing his boyfriend forward.

Blaine put an arm around Kurt as they walked down the stairs and out of the building. As crazy as their plan had seemed, it worked pretty well, thanks to all the help they had gotten from Kurt. Blaine made himself a promise that he would thank Kurt properly once they got back to his place. His friends deserved being happy and he hoped that this time, it would work.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. Enjoy!

Kurt felt like his life was absolutely perfect. For the first time since years, it seemed like he had everything he wanted. His summer break was only a few weeks away, he had a lot more free time than in a long time and it meant he could spend most of his days with Blaine and Danny. Okay, Danny still had to go to school but after that, they were together. Since Blaine and his team had had some trouble with their newest client who couldn't understand that David wanted nothing from her, they had broken the contract and left earlier. It meant that they lost some money but at least the team was safe from that crazy girl.

The only person who seemingly couldn't get used to being free was Blaine. Although Kurt asked him to join him every time he could, so Blaine didn't have to spend his days alone, Blaine didn't seem happy. Kurt knew that he wanted to work, to not feel so useless beside his always busy boyfriend but things didn't always go the way Blaine wanted. Sometimes they had to wait for a while to get new clients and this period wasn't different. It was just the matter of time that the Warblers would get a new job, hopefully later in the summer, so Kurt could convince Blaine to go with him and Danny to France. It would be so romantic and he knew for sure that Blaine had never been there before. It would be a good opportunity for them to explore the state together.

"Blaine, hurry up! We will miss the feeding of the elephants" Danny said impatiently, tapping his foot as he waited for the man to join him and Kurt.

They had decided to spend the day in the zoo since Danny loved the place so much and they had missed a lot the previous time when Kurt had had to go back to work. This time, he promised that he wouldn't do that and even left his phone home, so noone could disturb them. The only weak point was Blaine who seemed a little distracted and none of them understood why.

"Come on. We promised him that we would be there" Kurt said, taking Blaine's hand.

"Uhm... You should go without me. I don't really like elephants and there will be so many kids..."

"What's wrong?" Kurt cut in.

"Nothing" Blaine shrugged.

"Do you honestly think that you can lie to me and I won't notice it?" Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Fine. Let's see the elephants" Blaine sighed and started walking again, hoping that Kurt wouldn't ask too many questions.

"So what's wrong?" Kurt asked as they reached the elephants and Danny left them to get a better place to watch the animals. Kurt kept on eye on him but stayed with Blaine, determined to find out what his problem was.

"Kurt, it's really nothing..."

"You will get a new job soon" Kurt said. "I know you feel useless but it's just a short break."

"It's not that" Blaine admitted, looking away.

"Then what?" Kurt asked.

"The trip to Ohio..." Blaine said quietly.

"We don't have to visit your parents if you don't want to see them" Kurt said. "Really. I understand that you don't want me to meet them."

"It's not about them either" Blaine said nervously. "It's your father."

Kurt blinked in surprise. His father was the most amazing parent of the universe, he had no idea what Blaine's problem was with him.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked carefully.

"Not with him" Blaine smiled. "With me."

"You think he won't like you?" Kurt asked, smiling. Now he finally understood what Blaine's problem was.

"I'm sure he won't like me" Blaine said. "I mean... If I were in his place, I would totally hate this. You're a popular, successful actor and I... Well, I'm not. I'm just a bodyguard, an unemployed one on the top of that. You deserve someone better."

"Blaine, we've talked about this so much" Kurt said. "I love you just the way you are. I don't care what you work or where you live, how much money you have. All that means is the amazing person you are. Believe me, my dad will think the same about you. He was the one who raised me like this."

"He must be a great guy" Blaine smiled.

"He is" Kurt nodded. "And you will love each other."

"What are you talking about?" Danny asked as he joined them again.

"Your grandpa" Kurt answered.

"We're gonna go to grandpa" Danny said excitedly as he turned to Blaine. Since he had found out about their trip, he couldn't stop talking about it. "For two whole days and a half."

"Isn't it amazing?" Blaine asked with a forced smile.

"It is!" Danny shouted. "I love grandpa and grandma."

"I know. You can't stop talking about them" Blaine said.

"I thought you wanted to see the elephants" Kurt said, hoping that Danny would give them some more time alone.

"Yeah but I'm thirsty" Danny said.

"Here" Kurt said and pulled Danny's bottle out of his bag.

"Thank you!" Danny said and disappeared in the crowd again.

"Why does he call your father grandpa?" Blaine asked, trying to chance topic.

"Because he's like a grandfather for him" Kurt shrugged.

"You raise him but he doesn't call you dad" Blaine pointed out.

"Danny knows that he had parents who loved him so much and they aren't here because they can't" Kurt said. "Yes, I raise him and I love him like my own child but I don't want to take his parents' place. Let's say I'm the replacement."

Kurt sighed sadly, shaking his head.

"His grandparents, on the other hand... I told you that Will had had nobody, but Emma's parents are still alive, or at least they were a few years ago when I saw them the last time" he said quietly. "When I brought Danny home, I got in touch with them. I knew that they were crazy but I thought they would want to see their grandchild. Danny was everything they had left from Emma."

"What happened?" Blaine asked.

"They came to visit him once, about two months after the accident" Kurt continued. "They seemed nice at first, tried to play with Danny but he didn't want them to touch him. It turned out they hadn't even met him before. They were angry with Emma for choosing someone like Will. I tried to help them with Danny, so he could accept them but they didn't want my help at all. It turned out that they were still angry with Emma and Will for choosing me for Danny's guardian instead of them and wanted to take him away."

"They didn't" Blaine gasped.

"They did" Kurt nodded. "There was a huge fight. Rose, Emma's mother grabbed Danny and started walking towards the door with him while her husband held me back. It was horrible. Danny was crying, I shouted for my father and Carole to help me. Luckily, they were home and got there in time. My father was furious, he threatened them to call the police if they try to bring Danny out of the house. They left, I think they saw that we wouldn't let them have Danny but they shouted horrible things into my face and told me that they would get Danny one way or another."

"Oh my God. That's horrible" Blaine said. "Did they go back?"

"No" Kurt shook his head. "We never saw them again but I lived in fear for months. I was scared that they would break into the house and take Danny, so I didn't leave him alone for a second."

"Those people are crazy" Blaine commented.

"They are" Kurt nodded. "There was a good reason why I could have guardianship instead of them. They treated Emma like shit and destroyed her completely. It took Will years to help her out of her depression and OCD. It was hard like hell."

"Why did they want Danny then?" Blaine frowned. "If they hated Will, you would think they hated his son as well."

"Oh, that's not that simple" Kurt smiled sadly. "They had this weird obsession. They all had ginger hair and thought that made them special, more than other people. They raised Emma to only choose a husband with ginger hair and I think they wanted Danny for the same reason. They wanted him to be one of them."

"How can people be that sick?" Blaine wondered.

"You're the expert of lunatics. You tell me" Kurt smiled.

"So Danny considers your parents as his grandparents" Blaine said, choosing to forget about Emma's parents for a long while. It was already too much for him.

"He knows about them but never wanted to meet them again. I don't think he remembers that day but he certainly remembers that he didn't like them" Kurt said. "He loves my family, though, so when he started calling my dad grandpa, we let him."

"I'm sure he's your father's favourite" Blaine smiled.

"Oh, yes. He loves Danny" Kurt said. "They're so cute together but you will see it yourself soon."

"I know" Blaine sighed. "I guess I should enjoy these few days left of my life before your father kills me."

"He won't kill you" Kurt said and pressed a quick kiss onto Blaine's lips. "Come on, let's have ice cream."

"You always know what I need" Blaine sighed and let Kurt lead him away.

~ o ~

A few days later, Kurt found Blaine in a very bad mood as he got home from work. He had spent the day alone again and was bored like hell. Kurt tried to enlighten the mood but he wasn't enough for that. Luckily, Jeff chose that moment to call him and ask them to join him and Nick for dinner that night. 

"I'm not in the mood" Blaine said when Kurt told him about their plans.

"Oh, come on. It will be fun" Kurt said.

"What about Danny? We can't leave him home alone" Blaine tried to reason.

"I already called Mercedes. She will be here for Danny soon" Kurt smiled. There was no way he would let Blaine convince him.

"I guess I don't have a choice" Blaine sighed.

"No, you don't. Come on!" Kurt said.

About half an hour later, they were both ready to go. Jeff had invited them over to his place and Kurt was excited to finally see where he lived. Although they hadn't met since they had locked Jeff and Nick up in the elevator, they had called each other several times. They had become good friends and Kurt liked talking to the men.

"They will kill us" Blaine said as they walked up to Jeff's apartment. "They want revenge for that elevator thing and lured us here to torture us."

"Don't be crazy. Everything will be fine" Kurt said and knocked on the door. "Besides, they could have tortured you before. You work together."

"True" Blaine admitted but still took a step back when the door opened and Jeff's smiling face appeared in front of them.

"Hey guys! Come in!" Jeff said and stepped out of the way to let the others in.

Kurt almost laughed when he stepped inside and found himself in an apartment that reminded him way too much on Blaine's home. The furniture was the same, even the decoration seemed similar.

"It's completely like your place" Kurt commented.

"Yeah... We're friends, you know? We usually shop together" Blaine said.

"My mom says that we're like twins" Jeff said. "And I think she's right. Blaine's like a brother to me."

"That's sweet" Kurt said. "Uhm... Where's Nick?"

"He should be here in any second" Jeff replied. "I look great, right?"

He whirled around, so the others could see his clothes. 

"It will make it" Blaine replied.

"I bought them for today" Jeff said. "I hope Nick will like them."

"So you're getting along well" Kurt smiled.

"Yeah. Thank you for that elevator, by the way. You have no idea how much you helped us" Jeff said.

"So you aren't angry with us?" Blaine asked.

"Of course not!" Jeff laughed. "Although Nick planned to take revenge but I convinced him that you don't deserve it. Things are amazing between us."

"I'm glad you're finally together" Kurt said. 

"Me too. I didn't even know that all we needed was a talk" Jeff said.

They heard a knock on the door and Jeff ran out of the room, only to come back with a huge bouquet of flowers a few seconds later.

"Nick loves flowers" he explained as he went to open the door.

"Hey..." Nick stopped immediately when he found the bouquet pushed into his face. "Uhm... Jeff?"

"They're for you, honey" Jeff winked.

"I told you that you didn't have to buy me flowers every single day" Nick smiled but took the flowers from Jeff's hand. "They're beautiful, though."

"I promised that I would be romantic" Jeff said and turned back to his friends. "I didn't know that guys liked flowers."

"Because they don't?" Blaine offered.

"Well..." Kurt muttered, giving Blaine a pointed look.

"You like flowers? You never told me" Blaine said.

"Because you never asked me" Kurt shrugged.

"You're a shitty boyfriend" Jeff told his friend. "Do you need some advice?"

"From you? Never" Blaine answered.

"Okay, guys, stop. I'm starving" Nick said. 

"Did you get the wine?" Jeff asked.

"Of course" Nick answered, pulling out a bottle of his bag. "I hope it will be good."

"I'm sure it will" Jeff smiled, taking the bottle from his boyfriend's hand.

They all sat down to the table, waiting for Jeff to serve their dinner. The man seemed to be fine in the kitchen, he didn't need help at all and a few minutes later, he put down their plates in front of them.

"My mom's recipe" Jeff said.

"It looks delicious" Kurt said, watching his dinner in amazement. Jeff had done a great job with the chicken, it looked like it was from a prestigious restaurant and not from the kitchen of a bodyguard.

"Try it" Jeff encouraged him. "My mom's the best cook of the world. She taught me all of her tricks."

"Hm, this is great" Nick hummen happily.

"I agree" Kurt nodded. "Your mom must be a star chef."

"Unfortunately, she isn't" Jeff said. "She wanted to be but then she got pregnant with me and married my father instead. Dad had a lot of money, so she didn't have to work at all, at least until she had my father. She works again, of course, but she said that she was too old for making a career. So she stayed in the town and got a job in a small diner."

"It must be hard" Kurt grimanced. He had been there before, in his first year with Danny. He had hated that job because he had been treated like shit.

"Yeah, she absolutely hates it" Jeff nodded. "But who knows, maybe one day I will be able to convince her to move to New York. It would be better for her."

"Well, if our idea works..." Nick smiled.

"What kind of idea?" Blaine asked.

"Tell him" Nick told Jeff, waiting for his boyfriend to share their idea with Blaine.

"Well, Nick and I were thinking about the team and how we could get more money from it. Don't get me wrong, we love what we have now but..." Jeff looked at Nick for a second. "Hopefully, we will stay together this time and we want to start a family soon."

"But you've just gotten together" Blaine said.

"I know. We both know. But we're almost 30 and let's face it, we won't be younger" Jeff smiled. "It doesn't mean we want a kid anytime soon but maybe in a few years..."

"That sounds great" Kurt said. "I'm sure you guys will be fantastic parents."

"If you let us practice on Danny some more, we hopefully will be" Nick said.

"So what is your idea?" Blaine asked. "You don't want to leave, right? Because I can't do this without you."

"Of course not. We're the Warblers. Forever together" Jeff winked. "But we could add other options to our service. Most of our clients don't need a whole team, especially those crazy chicks like Adaline. One of us would be enough for those kind of jobs which means the others could work on other cases. It would mean more clients and more money, of course."

"But we never worked alone" Blaine said uncertainly, not knowing what to think about the idea. He turned to Kurt for help who smiled at him reassuringly.

"I think it's a good idea" Kurt said.

"And if things go well, we can have new employees who would do the harder part of the job" Jeff continued. "I know you two have plans for the future, too. If this works, you won't have to work that much anymore. You will be the director of the company, of course, and all you have to do is to make sure your employees make their job."

"Which we would, if you still want to keep us" Nick smiled. 

"You know that I want to work with you" Blaine replied. "You're my friends and we're in this business from the beginning."

"So your answer is a yes?" Jeff asked.

"It's a lot to take in" Blaine said hesitantly. "I think we should discuss it together with the others, go through the possibilities."

"And I have a friend who can help you" Kurt offered as he turned to Blaine. "I have to go to LA because of that movie, you could join me and meet her."

"That would be great!" Jeff said excitedly.

"Yeah, great" Blaine nodded. 

Kurt frowned as he watched his boyfriend. Blaine didn't really seem to like the idea but he didn't know why.

~ o ~

Later that night, when they got home, Kurt decided to talk to Blaine. The man was quiet during the whole ride back home and seemed so lost in his thoughts. So when they got back into their room, Kurt turned to Blaine immediately.

"Okay. Tell me" he said.

"Tell you what?" Blaine asked.

"Something's bothering you, I can see it. Tell me what it is" Kurt said.

"It's nothing..." Blaine started but the look Kurt gave him silenced him. He sighed and walked to the bed. "Fine. I'm thinking about the future."

"You don't like Jeff's idea?" Kurt asked as he joined Blaine, taking his hand.

"On the contrary" Blaine smiled. "I just... I never had a chance for a better life. I had huge plans when I was younger but then I realised how hard living in this city was. So at some point, I gave up on my plans and accepted that my life would never get better."

"But now you have a chance" Kurt said quietly.

"Yes" Blaine nodded. "If this works, maybe after a few years, I will have enough time for myself. I could finally make my dreams come true. But..."

"But what?" Kurt asked.

"I lost my dreams years ago" Blaine explained. "I have no idea what to do. I'm scared that I wouldn't be happy because I wouldn't be able to enjoy the free time this opportunity gives. I so want to do something more. I always wanted to be successful and famous but not with the Warblers. I... I would like to start something new. I still want this company and I wouldn't let my friends down of course, but..."

"I understand" Kurt said. "Just like Jeff and Nick, you want to live for your dream. It's fine, Blaine, and I will support you, whatever you want to do with your life. I will help you with the changes of the company, get you new clients, everything you need. I want you to be happy."

"I have no idea what to do with my life" Blaine sighed.

"What was your dream?" Kurt asked.

"I wanted to be a famous musician" Blaine smiled. "You know how much I like music, I wanted to spend every moment of every day sharing my music with people. I know it's silly..."

"It's not" Kurt cut in. "And it's not too late for that. You're young, you can have everything you want. I could get you a job in the theater..."

"No" Blaine said suddenly. "I'm sorry, I just... You're amazing on the stage but it's not my world. I can't imagine myself working in a theater, more like a..."

Blaine stopped, looking away.

"Like a what, Blaine?" Kurt asked.

"Rockstar" Blaine said hesitantly. "I know, I know, I should grow up."

He got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom's door.

"I will be back in a minute" he said, giving Kurt no time to reply.

"Rockstar..." Kurt muttered to himself, a crazy idea forming in his head. Maybe it wasn't that hard to make Blaine's dream come true. Kurt had connections and he knew someone who could help them.

He jumped up from the bed and grabbed his phone, dialing a familiar number on his way out of the room. He walked down into the kitchen because he had to make sure Blaine didn't find out about this. He knew that keeping secrets from his boyfriend wasn't a good thing but it was all for Blaine. If everything went well, he would be grateful for what Kurt did.

He only had to wait a few seconds for the man to answer the call. Kurt smiled when he heard the familiar voice, always happy to hear him, even so late.

"Hey, Noah" Kurt said. "Listen, I would like to ask for a favor..."


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. Enjoy!

As Kurt opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a large bouquet of roses standing in a vase on his nightstand. He didn't need more than a second to know where the flowers were from, especially when he looked around and realized that Blaine was already awake and probably in the kitchen, drinking his coffee.

Kurt took a deep breath and enjoyed the sight of the flowers a little longer before getting up from the bed. It was going to be a long day, they had to leave around 10, catch their flight and then spend the rest of the day on the plane and in his father's car. But at least in the end of the day, they were going to be in Lima with his family. He knew that Blaine was nervous about the visit but he was so excited. He missed his dad so much and couldn't wait to see him again. Burt knew about Blaine, of course, not just because of that article but Kurt had told him a lot about the bodyguard, and he seemed fine with his son's boyfriend. Kurt couldn't wait to introduce the two men to each other. They would surely like each other the way Kurt wanted to.

After a quick visit in the bathroom, Kurt walked back to the bed to get his clothes from the previous night. He smiled as he remembered how they had ended up on the ground, just like every single night when Danny was finally asleep and he and Blaine locked themselves into his bedroom. The previous night had been somewhat different, though. Blaine was adamant about not having sex in Lima, where Kurt's father would know what they were doing, so he had made sure Kurt had an unforgettable night before they left for the weekend. Kurt didn't really understand Blaine's fear, his father wasn't stupid and he knew that Kurt and Blaine practically lived together and shared the same room, so he surely wouldn't mind it at all. But Blaine's fear of not being good enough for Burt Hummel was stronger than Kurt's reasons, so he had to accept that they most likely wouldn't even hold hands until they came back.

He was about to leave the room when he noticed the small card placed between the roses. He quickly opened it and smiled again, reading the few words Blaine had written for him, asking him to join him for breakfast. It wasn't like they didn't have breakfast together every single day but he appreciated the gesture. He checked his hair in the mirror one more time and then left the room.

As he entered the kitchen, he found Blaine and Danny working at the counter. They were singing and dancing while preparing their breakfast and Kurt decided to give himself a minute to just admire the sight in front of him. Blaine and Danny had quickly become close to each other, maybe better than Kurt had ever imagined they could be. They really liked each other and agreed in everything, especially when it was about convincing Kurt to do something he didn't usually let Danny do. When he was with the boy, Blaine usually acted like a big kid, he was Danny's perfect partner in crime. Kurt didn't mind it at all. He loved seeing them together and was happy that the two most important people in his life got along so well. 

Blaine finally turned around and noticed Kurt leaning against the doorframe. Still singing, he danced to the man and grabbed his hands, pulling Kurt forward to kiss him.

"Good morning" Blaine said. "Did you like the flowers?"

"They're beautiful" Kurt said. "Why did I get them?"

"Because you deserve them" Blaine answered. "Jeff was right, I'm a shitty boyfriend and I should have gotten you flowers way earlier."

"I'm glad you remembered. It was a very good way to wake up" Kurt smiled. "Too bad I can't enjoy their sight too long."

"Because we're going to Lima!" Danny shouted excitedly.

"True" Kurt nodded as he pulled the boy into his arms. "Let's have breakfast and get ready. We don't want to miss our flight, right?"

Danny's eyes widened and he quickly pulled away from Kurt.

"Sit down! We have to hurry!" Danny said.

"Calm down, we have enough time left" Blaine said as he went to help Danny. "We've made a wonderful breakfast and we should enjoy it."

"It looks delicious" Kurt said as Blaine placed a plate in front of him while Danny grabbed the mugs from the counter and slowly walked to the table with them, careful to not spill their content onto the floor. "Thank you, honey. You're the best."

"It was Blaine's idea" Danny shrugged.

"Blaine's great, too" Kurt smiled.

"But I'm the best?" Danny asked.

"Of course you are" Kurt nodded.

"Even if it's hard to admit" Blaine said. "I can't believe that he's a better cook than me. He's just a kid."

"A talented one" Kurt replied.

"True" Blaine sighed. "And he had a good teacher."

He leaned close to Kurt and gave him another quick kiss.

"Taste it" Danny said impatiently. 

"Okay" Kurt said and grabbed his fork. Danny and Blaine watched him closely as he put some egg into his mouth and hummed happily. "Amazing" he said.

"He likes it" Danny said happily.

"I told you" Blaine winked. "We're the best."

Kurt grinned as he reached for his mug. Yeah, life was great. The best he could wish for.

~ o ~

By the time they arrived in Ohio, Blaine was so scared of meeting Kurt's father that he didn't pay attention at all, lost in his thoughts, trying to find a way to get out of this situation. It was a huge mistake letting Kurt drag him here. He wasn't ready to meet his father and he would surely screw up everything and get Kurt into trouble. He wasn't the kind of guy people wanted for their children. He was nobody, he had no plans for the future and he had nothing to offer to Kurt. Yeah, he had so much to be scared of.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked in concern.

"I-I'm just thinking about the guys. I shouldn't have left them alone for a whole weekend" Blaine tried to come up with a good explanation.

"They will be fine for a few days without you" Kurt smiled. "They're adults and I know for sure that they're happy to get rid of you for a few days."

"What if we get a new client? David is still not over the previous case and Jeff will screw up everything if..."

"Nick's there to stop him if he does something stupid" Kurt said. "Why do I have a feeling that you aren't concerned about their well-being?"

Blaine sighed heavily as he looked at Kurt.

"It's your father" he admitted.

"Are you scared of my father?" Kurt chuckled.

"It's not funny!" Blaine said. "This is a bad idea. I should go home..."

"Hey" Kurt grabbed his hand and stopped him. "Everything will be fine. My dad will love you and we will spend an amazing weekend together. Stop worrying."

"I'm not ready for this" Blaine said desperately.

"You survived with the other guys, too" Kurt said easily.

"Other guys?" Blaine asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You surely met the families of your previous... Wait, you never met your exes' families?" Kurt asked.

"What exes, Kurt?" Blaine asked back.

"Well..." Kurt fell silent. Blaine had never talked about his exes, only the men he had fucked. "It's your first relationship."

"Good morning, Kurt. Thanks for catching up with me" Blaine rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry, it's just... I can't believe you never dated anyone!" Kurt smiled.

"I was waiting for the right guy, okay?" Blaine said.

"So this is your first parent meeting" Kurt nodded slowly and squeezed Blaine's shoulder. "Then you should be nervous."

"Thank you for your support, my dear. I'm so lucky to have you" Blaine said sarcastically.

"You will be fine. My dad's great, you will love him" Kurt smiled and grabbed Blaine's hand again, pulling him forward.

"Grandpa!" Danny shouted and leaving the two adults, he ran forward, straight into the arms of a middle-aged man in baseball cap who seemed so large and dangeorus in Blaine's eyes. 

"You're a bodyguard. You've dealt with much worse" Kurt whispered into Blaine's ear as they joined the others.

Blaine gulped nervously and nodded, although he felt so uncertain. Yes, he had caught a few dozens bad guys. People who were dangerous but none of them was the father of his boyfriend. It was far worse than a lunatic who wanted to kill him. 

He took a deep breath and forced out a small smile when Burt Hummel let go of his grandson and stood up to greet them. He glanced at Kurt briefly but then his eyes wandered over Blaine. Blaine knew what he was doing. He tried to figure him out, find the smallest sign that something was wrong with Blaine. He couldn't let it happen, so he focused on staying calm and stepped forward. He had to be polite, so it was time to greet the man and introduce himself. That was how people did this, right?

"Hey, Mr Hummel. I'm Blaine Anderson" he said and lifted his right hand towards the man.

"I know" Burt replied, not making the slightest movement towards Blaine. "I saw the pictures of you kissing my son in that club."

Well, that would have been an amazingly perfect moment to turn around and run away. Blaine seriously considered that option but Kurt's hand on his held him back.

"Dad" Kurt hissed, giving his father a pointed look.

"It's fine, grandpa. They kiss each other at home, too" Danny said helpfully.

Blaine closed his eyes, hoping that the ground would open under him and engulf him before he could make a complete idiot of himself.

"I see" Burt said slowly.

"Dad, you promised" Kurt whispered, seeing how badly things started. He so hadn't planned this meeting like this.

Burt took a deep breath and forced out a small smile. Even Blaine could tell that it was a fake one.

"I'm sorry. I'm Burt Hummel" he said, finally accepting Blaine's raised hand. "Nice to meet you."

Blaine was sure that it was only a lie but at least Burt tried to seem friendly towards him. It was enough for a start and he had two more days to change the older man's mind.

"Let's go home" Kurt said, breaking the awkward silence. "I can't wait to see Carole."

"She's so excited. She's been working in the kitchen since this morning. I have no idea what she's cooking for you but it must be something good" Burt said and turned back to Danny. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes!" Danny said.

"Let's go then. Grandma's waiting for us" Burt said, gently taking Danny's hand to lead him to the back door of the car.

"Your dad's scary" Blaine whispered to Kurt as they walked to the other side of the car.

Kurt nodded silently. He had a bad feeling that they would have a long, awkward talk back at home but at least they had some more time to get prepared for that. 

The ride to the Hudmels' home went smoothly. Danny had so much to share with Burt that he kept talking during the whole time, saving the adults from questions they weren't ready to answer. When they reached the house, Danny jumped out of the car and rushed to the front door, Burt following him closely, leaving Kurt and Blaine with their bags. 

"Is he going to ask more about us?" Blaine asked when they were alone, taking his time with the luggage.

"Oh, yes" Kurt sighed. "Since we weren't official and I was busy surviving those weeks with my stalker after me, I forgot to tell him about us, so he learnt everything from the news. I don't think he's too happy."

"I thought you asked him" Blaine frowned.

"Dad isn't that type who discusses details over phone" Kurt explained.

"So you knew that it was going to happen?" Blaine asked.

"I didn't want you to freak out" Kurt said. "It will be fine. Just let him get everything out. He isn't angry with us, he's just hurt because I left him out of something important."

"I guess I can understand that" Blaine nodded, knowing how close Kurt was to his father. Burt surely loved his son and he didn't deserve to be left out of his life like this.

As they walked into the house, Blaine barely had time to look around before a woman appeared in front of them and immediately pulled Kurt into a hug.

"I missed you so much, sweetheart" Carole said as she pulled away to take a better look of Kurt. "Are you alright? You look so skinny."

"I'm fine, Carole" Kurt smiled. "Just a little exhausted. These few month have been crazy."

"I know" Carole said. "I'm so happy they finally caught that man."

Her eyes left Kurt and landed on Blaine who took a careful step back. If Carole was like Burt, he should be prepared for something bad coming. To his surprise, Carole smiled and pulled him into a hug, too.

"So you're Blaine" Carole said. "Kurt told me a lot about you."

She turned back to Kurt and winked, leaning closer to the man.

"He's handsome. Perfect choice" she said.

"Thank you" Kurt said, smiling at Blaine who was still in shock from the friendly welcome he hadn't expected at all.

"Dinner will be ready soon. Sit down in the living room, I will join you in a few minutes" Carole said and left them alone, hastily walking back to the kitchen to finish the food.

Kurt took Blaine's hand again and led him into the living room where Burt and Danny were sitting on the ground with a few open boxes. Kurt didn't need much time to find out that they were toys for Danny.

"Dad, I told you that you didn't have to buy him so many things" Kurt said as he and Blaine sat down onto the couch.

"I can buy my grandson everything I want to" Burt replied. "Besides, I bought most of them for his birthday but since I didn't have the chance to give him them then..."

"You know why" Kurt said. "We didn't have a real birthday party because it would have been too dangerous."

"I get it" Burt nodded. "That's why I bought some more to make up for being late."

Kurt sighed and shook his head. Burt was such a good grandfather, always spoiling Danny and never listening to Kurt. 

Carole, true to her words, joined them a few minutes later, kneeling down beside Danny who was playing with two cars.

"So you like them?" she asked, smiling.

"Yes!" Danny said happily. "Look how fast they are!"

He got up to his knees, rolling the cars in front of him.

"We got you a garage, too, so you can store your cars in there when you don't use them" Burt said.

"It's almost like your shop" Danny said.

"Of course. I know how much you miss that place, it will always remind you on it" Burt said. "I have to work tomorrow, you can come with me if you would like."

"Yes!" Danny said immediately.

"And we could go shopping" Carole said as she turned to Kurt. "I would like to get to know Blaine better."

"It would be great, Carole" Kurt replied.

"You will come again in your summer break, right?" Burt asked hopefully.

"Of course, dad. Just like every summer" Kurt nodded. "I'm gonna have a longer break this time, so we could stay here for a week or two. If that's okay with you." 

"You can stay here as long as you want. You know that" Burt said. "We don't see you too often and these weekends are so short."

"I know. But things will be different. I'm trying to work less, so we can spend more time together" Kurt said.

"That's a good decision. Danny needs you" Burt said.

Kurt nodded in agreement. His father was right, of course. He had told Kurt so many times that he had to select from his job offers and only take those that were really worth it. Danny was only a child once and he was growing so fast. Kurt wanted to be there with him and not miss anything important.

The dinner was ready soon and they moved into the dining room. Carole seemingly cooked enough for a whole army, making everything Kurt and Danny liked. Since Danny kept the adults, especially his grandparents busy, telling them things they had missed, Blaine had time to watch the family in silence. He hadn't had people in his life like Kurt and Danny had Burt and Carole. It was wonderful how happy they looked together. He couldn't imagine before how a real family looked like. Well, this was it. 

At some point, Kurt took his hand and smiled at him. Blaine knew that he just wanted to let him know that everything was going to be alright and he didn't have to be afraid of the others. Blaine wasn't really nervous anymore. Carole was so kind to all of them, even if she didn't really know Blaine, she treated him like a family member, and Burt wasn't that bad either. Blaine caught him staring at him a few times but he didn't see any anger in his eyes. Burt seemed to be fine with his presence and it helped Blaine calm down.

Right until the moment when they were left alone. After dinner, they cleaned up in the kitchen together and spent some more time in the living room but the evening came quickly and it was time for Danny to go to bed. Carole offered to bring him upstairs, probably because she knew that Burt wanted to talk to Kurt and Blaine privately, so they too soon found themselves alone in the living room, all the three of them ready for the inevitable. Burt didn't say anything for a long time, only looking at his son and his boyfriend, seemingly not knowing where to start.

"Dad, just say it" Kurt said after a while. "I know you. I can tell that there's something wrong."

"Is there?" Burt asked. "Because that was my first thought when I found out about your secret relationship with your bodyguard. I guess you have a good reason why you didn't tell me about him."

Kurt glanced at Blaine, taking a deep breath.

"We wanted to keep it secret" Kurt admitted. "You have to understand it. There was a man following me everywhere, someone who surely wouldn't have been happy to see us together. It would have been too dangeorus."

"I get that" Burt nodded. "But it doesn't explain why you didn't tell me. You know that I wouldn't have told anyone. Your and Danny's safety is the most important for me."

"I asked him not to tell anyone" Blaine said, trying to save Kurt. "I'm sorry, Mr Hummel. I really am. But things were really bad back then and I was afraid that Kurt or Danny could get hurt because of our relationship. That man was crazy. He followed Kurt and Danny as well and who knows what he could have done if he had learnt about us."

"And you still decided to jump into it" Burt pointed out.

"Blaine didn't want to" Kurt said. "It was me who pushed him into this."

"Oh, come on. You surely didn't hold a gun to his head" Burt said.

"That's right" Blaine nodded.

"I will be honest with you. I'm not sure I like this" Burt said. "Kurt, you changed a lot and don't tell me that it was all that man's fault. You ignore your family, you barely call us and didn't come to visit since Christmas and even then you left earlier because you had to work. I have a bad feeling that you do the same to Danny and I don't like it at all. He's your responsibility. You have to take care of him and make sure he's happy."

"I know" Kurt said.

"What the hell got into you two? If that man was so dangerous, you should have held yourself back, at least until it was safe" Burt continued. "You could have gotten hurt. Both you and Danny and it would have been all your fault."

"You're right" Kurt said quietly. He hated to admit it, but his father was right.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you but I don't want to see you hurt again" Burt said. "I didn't do anything when you were with Sebastian, I let you deal with him but I won't sit on my butt if it happens again."

He looked at Blaine determinedly.

"Noone can hurt my family" he said.

"Believe me, it won't happen again" Blaine said firmly. "I'm not like that asshole. I could never do something like that."

Burt watched him in silence for a while but nodded in the end.

"You don't seem like him" he said. "I knew that something was wrong with that guy the second Kurt brought him home but I don't feel the same about you."

"Blaine's completely different, dad" Kurt said and smiled at Blaine. "He makes me happy."

"Very good" Burt nodded and took a deep breath. "Now that we got this out of the way... who wants to watch the game with me?"

Blaine looked at Kurt in concern. Burt's mood changed so quickly that he had a feeling that something wasn't right with the older man's head but Kurt didn't seem to share the same fears. Maybe Burt Hummel was just like this. Maybe it was the way he handled things and Blaine hoped that he didn't have more coming.

~ o ~

The next afternoon, when they were alone in Kurt's old room, Kurt decided to use the private time to have some fun with Blaine but the man was still somewhat nervous and he was adamant not to touch Kurt while they were in his parents' home. Burt hadn't said anything bad since the previous night, on the contrary actually. He was very nice and tried to get to know Blaine better. Kurt explained that Burt was always like this and now that it was out, everything would be fine. It didn't help Blaine who wanted to proove Burt that he was good enough for his son.

"We can't do this" Blaine said when Kurt pull him close to kiss him.

"Nobody can see us" Kurt frowned.

"Your dad's downstairs" Blaine pointed out.

"Oh, come on. He's fine now. He told us everything he wanted to, he won't bother us anymore. This is how he works" Kurt said.

"It's still not right" Blaine said.

"Fine" Kurt rolled his eyes and moved away from Blaine. 

"Where are you going?" Blaine asked as Kurt stepped to the door.

"Since you aren't interested and I knew you wouldn't be, I agreed to go to the mall with Carole and Danny. They want to see an animation movie, so..."

"You can't!" Blaine said desperately. "You can't leave me alone with your dad!"

"You will be fine" Kurt winked and left before Blaine could do anything.

"I should have stayed home" Blaine muttered to himself.

Since spending his afternoon alone in Kurt's room didn't feel right, he gathered his courage and walked downstairs after a while. He couldn't believe that Kurt was doing this to him. He surely deserved a visit to Blaine's parents, just to know how he felt about this.

He didn't need to go far, Burt was sitting in the living room, alone. Blaine had a bad feeling that he was waiting for him and suddenly, a horrible thought crossed his mind. Maybe Kurt had left them alone for a reason.

"Don't look so scared, Anderson. I don't bite" Burt said.

"I know" Blaine said uncertainly.

"Sit down" Burt said.

Blaine took a deep breath and sat down, choosing the farthest seat he could get.

"Kurt told me that you do this the first time" Burt said.

"That's right" Blaine nodded.

"I won't yell, relax. I told you everything that troubled me yesterday, we're fine now" Burt said. "I only asked Kurt to leave us alone because I want to get to know you."

"Really?" Blaine asked.

"You're my son's boyfriend" Burt shrugged. "I won't see you too often but I want to know what kind of guy you are."

"Oh" Blaine said nervously. "Uhm... what do you want to know?"

"Kurt told me that you have this bodyguard business" Burt said.

"Yes, the Warblers" Blaine smiled. Finally something he could talk about. "We're a team, I work with my four friends from high school."

"Do you like it?" Burt asked.

"Yes, I do" Blaine nodded. "It's a good job. Although it doesn't pay too well, we're working on some big changes and if everything goes according to the plan and it becomes successful, I will get a lot more money."

"I don't really care how much you get as long as you make Kurt happy" Burt said honestly. 

"I still feel like I should do something" Blaine said. "I can't let Kurt pay for everything, I'm not that type. And I want to have more free time, so I can be with him and Danny."

"You like the kid, right?" Burt smiled.

"I do" Blaine nodded without hesitation. "To be honest, it was scary at first but Danny's a good kid."

He bit his lip nervously, hoping that he didn't say anything wrong.

"He is" Burt nodded. "I'm so glad that Will and Emma chose Kurt to take care of him. Wait, do you know that..."

"Kurt told me everything" Blaine nodded.

"Then you know that they've gone through some horrible things. They need someone who loves them and keeps them safe" Burt said.

"I know" Blaine replied. "Believe me, that's all I want to do."

Burt was silent for a whole minute and it made Blaine nervous again. He didn't really know Burt, so he had no idea what to expect from him.

"I think I like you, kid" Burt said in the end.

"Seriously?" Blaine asked in relief.

"Don't look at me like this. You deserved what you got yesterday" Burt said.

"I know" Blaine said, looking away.

"But I also know that you and your team worked hard to get that man, even when the police didn't take Kurt seriously. You saved them and I'm very grateful for that" Burt said.

"I won't let them get hurt. Ever" Blaine promised.

"I believe you" Burt nodded. "Although you should know, if you ever hurt my son..."

"You will find me and beat the crap out of me?" Blaine offered.

"I was going to say shoot you but I think I like your version better" Burt smiled.

When Kurt got back with the others later that night, he found Blaine and Burt together in the living room, chatting and laughing as if they had known each other for a longer time. He leaned against the doorframe, smiling at the sight in front of him. He had been nervous about this afternoon but seemingly everything had gone perfectly and the talk they had had the previous night hadn't gotten into the way. He could tell that his father liked Blaine and it filled him with relief. Both men were very important for him and he wanted them to get along well.

~ o ~

Kurt was completely silent on their way back to the airport. These weekends he spent in Lima passed so quickly and he always left with a heavy heart. It was such a shame his dad lived so far away from them. He missed him and Carole like hell and couldn't wait for their next visit. Danny must have felt the same way because he leaned his head on Kurt's arm and sighed heavily.

"Are you gonna miss them?" Kurt asked, stroking Danny's hair gently.

"Yes" Danny answered quietly.

"You will be back soon" Burt said. "Once school's over and you come back from France, you will spend a few weeks here. Who knows, maybe we can convince Kurt to let you stay here for a little more. You're old enough to be here without him."

"Can I?" Danny asked hopefully.

"If you want to" Kurt shrugged.

"Don't forget your play clothes" Burt said. "It goes for you, too, Anderson."

"Believe me, I won't" Blaine said excitedly.

"Did I miss something?" Kurt frowned.

"Your dad promised me that he would teach me how to repair cars the next time we come here" Blaine replied.

"And we will go fishing" Burt said. "There's finally someone in this family who loves fishing just as much as I do."

"Fishing" Kurt nodded slowly. "Okay..."

"I had such a great time here" Blaine told Burt as they got out of the car. "Thank you for everything."

"Come soon again" Burt said, shaking Blaine's hand. "And take care of my boys."

"I will" Blaine nodded.

Danny sighed sadly as he went to Burt and hugged him.

"I will miss you, grandpa" he said.

"Don't be so sad. We will see each other soon and we can always call each other" Burt said and looked up at Kurt. "Hopefully, a lot more often than lately."

"Of course, dad" Kurt said and went to hug his father, too.

"Don't screw this up. I like the guy" Burt whispered into his ear before Kurt could pull away.

"Really?" Kurt asked. 

"Really" Burt nodded. "Go. Don't miss your flight because of your old man."

Kurt sighed heavily as he stepped away from his father and joined the others. He kept looking back as they walked inside, right until his dad disappeared from his sight.

"You're so lucky" Blaine told him. "Your dad's amazing."

"I see you get along well" Kurt said.

"Absolutely" Blaine nodded happily. "I like him."

"And you will go fishing together... Oh, dear God. I'm already scared of our next visit" Kurt shook his head.

"Fishing's great, Kurt" Blaine winked. "Don't you want to come with..."

"No" Kurt cut in. "There's no way that I would go out there and sit in the dirt for hours."

"You're no fun" Blaine sighed.

"Oh, I am, believe me" Kurt whispered into his ear. "And I will prove it soon."

"Once we get home?" Blaine asked.

"Maybe I will wait until Los Angeles" Kurt said thoughtfully.

"But that's almost a week away!" Blaine gasped.

Kurt laughed, pulling Blaine close to finally kiss him after two days of waiting. He was so happy and excited, he couldn't wait for their trip to LA. Blaine didn't know that there was more than a meeting waiting for them there, something that would hopefully change Blaine's life for forever.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I'm sorry for the late update. I went on a short holiday with my family and forgot to update my stories before we left...
> 
> Lyrics: Amaranthe - True  
> Enjoy!

 

"Please, Kurt."

 

Kurt sighed, shaking his head slowly. He hated this. Looking into Danny's big, teary eyes and saying him no. He knew that the boy was well aware of his weakness and tried to convince him. But not this time. He had to stay strong. Danny had to go to school and he had plans for himself and Blaine in LA, he couldn't bring Danny, too.

 

"Danny, we've discussed this" Kurt said gently. "You can't miss school, so you have to stay here."

 

"But I want to go with you" Danny pouted.

 

"I know" Kurt said as he crouched down in front of the boy. "But we will be back in no time. It's just three days."

 

"We will have a great time" Rachel said as she joined them, smiling down at Danny. "Just think about it. Three whole days without Kurt, isn't it amazing?"

 

The look Danny gave her told the adults that he didn't find it amazing at all.

 

"Rachel will be here with you the whole time and the girls promised me to come over for tonight" Kurt said.

 

"And the guys will come, too" Blaine said. "You miss Jeff, right?"

 

"Yes" Danny admitted quietly.

 

"I will call you every single day and we will be back as soon as we can" Kurt promised.

 

"Be quick" Danny said in the end.

 

The adults smiled at the boy. He usually wasn't like this but maybe because of the happenings of the last few months, he had some trouble letting Kurt go.

 

"Are you sure you know how to handle the security alarm?" Blaine asked as he turned to Rachel. "I can show you again if you want me to."

 

"I'm not stupid, Blaine" Rachel rolled her eyes.

 

"I know" Blaine sighed. "Just call me if you need help."

 

"We will be fine, guys" Rachel said. "Now say goodbye and go. I don't want you to miss your flight."

 

"Call me if you need anything" Kurt said, seemingly worried about leaving Danny behind.

 

"Kurt, we will be fine for three days without you. Believe me, we will keep Danny safe" Rachel said.

 

"I know" Kurt muttered.

 

"There's nothing to worry about" Rachel smiled. "Your stalker is in jail and I don't think a burglar would choose this exact time to break in."

 

"Now that you mentioned burglars, I'm definitely worried" Kurt said in concern.

 

"Go" Rachel sighed, pushing Kurt towards the door.

 

"Don't forget the security alarm" Kurt said as he turned back.

 

"I won't" Rachel replied. "Even if I find it useless when there will be bodyguards around."

 

"And call me if..."

 

"Just go, Kurt" Rachel sighed in frustration. Kurt worried about nothing. Danny had stayed with her before and they had been fine. Why wouldn't they this time?

 

"Be good" Kurt said as he hugged Danny for the last time. "Listen to Rachel and don't do anything bad, okay?"

 

"I won't" Danny promised.

 

"I will get you something from our trip" Kurt smiled.

 

"Really?" Danny asked excitedly.

 

"Of course" Kurt promised.

 

He and Blaine got into the car and too soon, they were gone. Danny looked after the car, sighing heavily.

 

"Oh, you will miss him?" Rachel cooed.

 

"I already miss him" Danny said.

 

"Come on, let's go back inside" Rachel said. "I brought you ice cream."

 

"Really?" Danny asked with shining eyes.

 

"But don't tell Kurt about it" Rachel said.

 

Danny smiled mischievously. Rachel always knew how to make him feel better.

 

~ o ~

 

"What are our plans for today?" Blaine asked as they stepped into their hotel room.

 

"I have a meeting at 4. It shouldn't take too long, so we will have some time before we have to leave again" Kurt said.

 

"Leave?" Blaine asked.

 

"Yes. I have a few friends in the city and I promised them to have dinner with them tonight" Kurt said. "They want to meet you."

 

"Should I be worried?" Blaine laughed.

 

"Not at all. You will love them" Kurt said, trying to hide his worry. They were going to meet his friends but what Blaine didn't know, it wasn't just about a dinner. It was about Blaine's future and now that the time was so close, Kurt was worried. He didn't know how Blaine would take it, maybe he would be angry with him for keeping this secret for so long, but he had to do this. He was afraid that Blaine would be too nervous, maybe say no before trying. He had to do it this way.

 

"And what will I do during your meeting?" Blaine asked.

 

"Well, you can stay here or come with me" Kurt shrugged.

 

"Will they let me in?" Blaine asked.

 

"If I tell them that you're my bodyguard..." Kurt smiled.

 

"I knew that you only brought me here because you needed a bodyguard" Blaine sighed dramatically.

 

"Of course" Kurt smiled. "Not because I wanted to spend a few days alone with you."

 

"You're just using me" Blaine said as he stepped closer.

 

"Exactly" Kurt said, reaching out to press a hand to Blaine's chest.

 

"Uhm... do we have time for this?" Blaine asked as Kurt began to unbutton his pants.

 

"They want me to take the roll" Kurt shrugged. "They will wait if they want me."

 

Thanks to Kurt's sudden idea, they had to hurry to not be too late for the meeting. They had a quick shower and changed clothes before leaving, and they were already in the cab when Kurt remembered that he had forgotten calling Rachel when they had arrived.

 

"Danny will hate me" he said as waited for Rachel to answer the call.

 

"He's surely worried" Blaine nodded in agreement. Damn, at least one of them should have remembered calling Rachel. Danny was waiting for their call and they had promised.

 

"Hey, Rach" Kurt said when Rachel finally picked up. "Yeah, yeah. We're here. Our flight was late and we had to hurry. I'm sorry for not calling you earlier."

 

Blaine raised an eyebrow at that. Okay, he didn't expect Kurt to tell Rachel every dirty detail of their relationship but lying to her... Maybe it wasn't the best decision.

 

"Can I talk to Danny?" Kurt asked.

 

Blaine didn't hear the answer but Kurt turned so sad quickly. Danny was surely not available.

 

"I will call you again later" Kurt said in the end and after disconnecting the call, he turned back to Blaine.

 

"He isn't home?" Blaine asked.

 

"No. He went out with Jeff and Nick to watch a movie, so Rachel can have some free time, too" Kurt said.

 

"That's good, isn't it?" Blaine smiled. "It means that he has a great time with the guys."

 

"I just wanted to hear his voice" Kurt said quietly.

 

"You miss him" Blaine smiled sadly.

 

"Of course I do" Kurt said. "I'm still feeling bad for leaving him home."

 

"He can't miss school" Blaine reasoned.

 

"I know but still... he wanted to come with us" Kurt said.

 

"There're just a few more days left. Once school's over, you will have the whole summer for yourself" Blaine said.

 

"I hope you will have some free time, too" Kurt said.

 

"I can't promise anything" Blaine sighed.

 

"Blaine..."

 

"Of course I will" Blaine smiled. "Jeff's idea seems to work and if everything goes well, I will be free a lot more often."

 

"I hope so" Kurt said. "I want this summer to be the best of my life. And I need you to be there."

 

~ o ~

 

Blaine so hated meetings. They were long and boring and he had no idea how to make himself useful until Kurt finished. Tina had made everything ready for them but it still took more than two hours for Kurt to discuss the details with the producers and Blaine was more than a little happy when they came to an agreement. He was afraid that one of them would step back and they wasted two hours for nothing. When they finally left, Kurt called Rachel again and laughed happily when he could finally talk to Danny. He listened to the boy for more than ten minutes and when they said goodbye, Kurt promised to call one more time that evening with a surprise. Blaine had no idea what Kurt meant but he had a feeling that he would find out soon.

 

They went back to the hotel to change clothes but they had to leave again to meet Kurt's friends. Kurt was excited to meet them and Blaine could understand that. He had all of his friends close, he could see them every day but he would miss them if they had lived so far away from him.

 

After changing clothes, they left their room and went to meet Kurt's friends in a restaurant near their hotel. To Blaine's relief, it was just an ordinary place, nothing fancy. He so hated expensive restaurants where he had to pay a whole fortune for his meal and barely got something in return. Not that he had to pay for anything, Kurt didn't let him since he had asked Blaine to join him on his trip but still... Blaine was just an ordinary guy and liked ordinary places.

 

"Hey, guys" Kurt said and waved towards the two people standing at the door. Blaine looked at them curiously, especially at the man who seemed so familiar from somewhere. As they turned around and faced them, Blaine knew immediately who they were.

 

"Kurt" the pretty blond woman smiled and went to hug him. "It's so good to see you again."

 

"You, too" Kurt said as he pulled away. "Guys, this is Blaine, my boyfriend. Blaine these are..."

 

"Noah Puckerman" Blaine said in awe, watching the couple with wide eyes. "Lead singer of the Puckers. And-and you must be Quinn Fabray, his wife and mother of his three children."

 

"Four" Puck muttered.

 

"Excuse me?" Blaine asked.

 

"Nothing" Quinn said hastily, giving her husband a pointed look. "It's nice to meet you, Blaine."

 

"Yeah, Kurt told us a lot about you" Puck said. "And I see you know my band."

 

"I'm your biggest fan" Blaine said. "I bought all of your albums, posters and several T-shirts. I even saw you guys last year when you performed in New York."

 

"I like the guy" Puck told Kurt.

 

"He's great" Kurt nodded. "Why don't we go inside?"

 

"Yeah, let's go" Puck said and put an arm around Quinn, guiding her inside.

 

"I can't believe you brought me to see Noah Puckerman" Blaine whispered into Kurt's ear. "It's like my biggest dream coming true."

 

Kurt smiled at that. If Blaine had known what was waiting for him that night...

 

"How's little Schuester?" Puck asked when they sat down and ordered their food.

 

"He just turned six" Kurt said. "And he's amazing. You should come see us someday."

 

"It would be great" Quinn said. "God, he must have changed a lot."

 

"He mostly looks like Will now" Kurt said.

 

"He must be so cute" Quinn said.

 

"She loves kids" Puck said to Blaine.

 

"I figured out" Blaine smiled.

 

"He loves them even more" Quinn said. "You should see them with our kids. He's an amazing father."

 

"So you are together since high school?" Blaine asked, remembering what he had read about the couple.

 

"More or less" Puck answered. "We broke up twice but always found our way back to each other."

 

"It's easier since we aren't teenagers anymore" Quinn said. "Puck was horrible in high school."

 

"Hey!"

 

"You were, Noah" Kurt agreed.

 

"It comes with my badass image" Puck said.

 

"Of course" Quinn smiled.

 

"And you're friends since then?" Blaine asked.

 

"We didn't see each other for a while but after I got Danny, Quinn and Puck helped me lot" Kurt explained.

 

"He brought us back together which I'm very grateful for" Quinn said.

 

"I understand that" Blaine nodded.

 

"Yeah, Kurt told us that you work with your high school friends. It must be an interesting job" Quinn said.

 

"It is" Blaine nodded. "We meet a lot of people and I like helping others."

 

After their food arrived, they continued sharing stories with each other. It was mostly about Blaine because the others wanted to get to know him better but after a while, Blaine had the chance to ask from his idol.

 

"So where does the name Puckers come from?" he asked. It was something he had never found out from articles and now that he had a chance to talk to Puck, he needed to know.

 

"I started the band with my brother, Jake" Puck explained. "We're the Puckerman brothers. You know, the Puckers."

 

"It's a stupid name" Quinn said.

 

"It's a perfect name" Puck said. "Although I wanted Pucks first but then I found out that it means something sappy in Sanscrit, so we changed it."

 

"Peace in Latin" Kurt and Quinn said at the same time.

 

"Close enough" Puck shrugged.

 

"I'm so glad that I can see you in reality" Blaine said. "You have no idea how much it means for me."

 

"We're glad to finally meet you, Blaine" Quinn said. "We were curious as to who Kurt's mysterious guy could be."

 

"It means a lot" Blaine replied.

 

"Is there anything else you want to know?" Puck asked.

 

"I don't know... I would love to see you on the stage but I guess I have to wait until the next time you come to New York" Blaine said.

 

"What about playing with me on the stage?" Puck asked.

 

"Excuse me?" Blaine asked in confusion.

 

"The kids're with the grandmas and it's early" Puck shrugged. "Kurt said that you could play piano."

 

"Yes. And guitar, too" Blaine added.

 

"Then we most certainly have to play together. Let's go!" Puck said.

 

"Are you serious?" Blaine asked.

 

"Of course I am. Come on" Puck said.

 

Blaine was so surprised that he couldn't move form his seat. It seemed like a dream. He met Noah Puckerman and his wife, he talked to them and now he had a chance to stay on the same stage with Puck. Yeah, it had to be a dream. Things like this didn't happen in the reality.

 

"Are you coming?" Kurt whispered into his ear.

 

"I'm dreaming, right?" Blaine asked as he turned to Kurt.

 

"Not at all" Kurt smiled.

 

Puck led them to his car and they quickly got in. On their way to the studio, Puck, Quinn and Kurt made small talks but Blaine didn't pay attention at all. He was too lost in his thoughts. He still wasn't sure if this was the reality. He had dreamt about this so many times and it was finally happening... He had to find a way to thank Kurt for this because it meant the world for Blaine to play and sing with Puck.

 

When they walked inside, Blaine felt so lost. He looked around as if he hadn't seen such a place before, scared and excited at the same time. It was a huge thing and he was afraid of screwing up. But maybe it wouldn't be that bad, there weren't too many people around to see him fail and there was Kurt, too, who would never judge him. Yeah, he had to believe that he would be alright.

 

"So, Blaine? Guitar or keyboard?" Puck asked as they arrived.

 

Blaine hesitated for a second.

 

"Keyboard" he answered.

 

"I was hoping in this answer" Puck smiled. "You know our songs, right?"

 

"All of them" Blaine answered.

 

"Very good" Puck said and turned to the others. "Then, ladies and gentlemen, let us present you my wife's favourite song..."

 

He nodded towards Quinn who sent him a kiss in return.

 

"...True!" Puck shouted and turned back to Blaine. "You start it."

 

"Okay" Blaine nodded and took a deep breath, looking at Kurt for support. The man smiled at him and nodded reassuringly. Blaine kept his eyes on Kurt as his fingers ran down the keyboard and he started to sing.

 

_Always thought impossible_  
Break the chains of life  
What I fought for every day  
Could finally come alive  
Whatever dreams I longed for  
I strove for to defend  
Whatever hope that's there for me  
Will stay there to the end

  


Puck stepped forward and smiling at Quinn, he continued the song.

  


_There's no trace of yesterday examining my faith_  
See a starlit hallway for the future I create  
Before the darkness gets me I will spread my wings and fly  
I transcend from the chaos and the darkness turns to light

  


Kurt smiled as Puck stepped back to Blaine and they continued the song together. Blaine was amazing on the stage. He had already known that Blaine had a great voice but God... he looked so great on the stage. Like he had been born to sing in a band.

  


_This is the time_  
For chasing my desires  
What's in my heart is true  
And if my dreams set everything on fire  
Then I would still belong to you

  


_I never doubt the feelings that I had_  
Could bring me through  
And every teardrop leaving me  
Was leaving me for you

_If all my instincts screamed to me_  
And tried to guide me through  
Would I long for an eternity  
Or just come back to you

  


By the time they hit the chorus again, Blaine was perfectly relaxed. He didn't seem like he was nervous of Puck standing right beside him or the fact that they were singing a duet for their loved ones.

  


_This is the time_  
For chasing my desires  
What's in my heart is true  
And if my dreams set everything on fire  
Then I would still belong to you

  


Kurt knew that he had made the right decision. No matter what Blaine would say in the end, even if he would be angry for what Kurt had done, it was worth it.

  


_What I can dream_  
Scream  
It's possible  
But it will turn  
Burn  
Keep it real  
Trust your dreams  
And soon you'll stand next to me

  


_This is the time_  
For chasing my desires  
What's in my heart is true  
And if my dreams set everything on fire  
Then I would still belong to you

  


The song came to the end and Quinn and Kurt stood up, clapping and screaming.

 

"Thank you, guys" Puck said as he dragged Blaine forward to bow for their audience.

 

"What do you think?" Kurt asked nervously.

 

"You were right. He's taleted" Puck answered.

 

"So what do you say?" Kurt asked.

 

"I have to discuss with the others but... I want him" Puck said.

 

"What are you two talking about?" Blaine frowned.

 

"You didn't tell him?" Puck asked.

 

"Of course not" Kurt rolled his eyes. "I didn't want to scare him uselessly."

 

"Hello, I'm here" Blaine said, waving his hands in front of Kurt. "What are you two talking about?"

 

"We're searching for a new keyboarder" Puck explained. "Jimmy... Well, he had some trouble with the authorities. So we need a new member."

 

"Puck told me that they need a new guy and I thought you would like to try" Kurt said carefully, not knowing how Blaine would react.

 

Okay, maybe he was slow but Blaine didn't understand a thing.

 

"I don't get it" he said in the end.

 

"What Kurt tries to say is that we need a new member for the band. This was your audition and I like how you play. So if you would like to, you can join the Puckers" Puck said.

 

Blaine opened his mouth but nothing came out. He didn't know what to say. It still felt like a dream, a very good one but... Did they really want him to join Puck's band?

 

"You can think about it" Puck said when Blaine didn't reply.

 

Blaine looked at him and then at Kurt who looked away guiltily, probably afraid of Blaine's reaction. Honestly, he had no idea what to do with this offer.

 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. enjoy!  
> Uhm... I also want to warn you that the last part of this chapter might upset you, so be prepared.

Blaine didn't say a single word on their way back to the hotel. When Kurt had seen how surprised he had been, he had offered Blaine to go back to the hotel and think about Puck's proposition. Blaine could only nod, much to the others', especially Puck's amusement.

"It's not the end of the world, dude" Puck said. "You can always say no."

To be honest, Blaine didn't want to say no. As he and Kurt made their way back to the hotel, he seemed to like the idea of joining the band more and more. It was like a dream. He imagined himself standing on the stage, playing and singing, enjoying spotlight... Okay, that was something he would have to get used to but other than that, he started liking the idea. 

He remembered telling Kurt about his dreams a few weeks earlier and he looked at the man thoughtfully. Poor Kurt seemed so worried right now, he was completely silent on their way to the hotel and didn't even look into Blaine's eyes. He surely hadn't expected such a reaction from Blaine. Blaine took a deep breath but was unable to say anything. He still wasn't sure what he wanted. He wanted this job but he wanted to be with Kurt, too. And if he joined the Puckers, he would move to Los Angeles and wouldn't be able to be with Kurt. But he didn't want that, he needed Kurt. Damn, it was so hard...

As they finally entered their hotel room, Blaine locked the door behind them and faced Kurt.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, his voice a lot louder and angrier than he wanted it to be.

Kurt took a step back, putting his arms around himself. He surely didn't expect Blaine to be angry with him and Blaine felt bad for reacting like this.

"I'm sorry" he said. "It's just... You should have told me."

"I know" Kurt said quietly.

"I can't believe this is real" Blaine said, running his fingers through his hair. "Is it real?"

"It is" Kurt nodded slowly.

"This is really happening" Blaine muttered.

"Look, Blaine, I know I overstepped and I'm sorry for that. If you don't want this..."

"I do" Blaine interrupted. "That's why it is so hard. I want this."

"Then what's the problem?" Kurt asked in confusion.

"I don't want to be apart from you" Blaine admitted. "I love you. And I love what we have but what would happen if I move to LA?"

Kurt looked into Blaine's eyes, smiling.

"So you are upset because you don't want to move here?" Kurt asked.

"Exactly!" Blaine said. "We've been hiding our relationship for so long. Now we are finally together the way I wanted to and I can't leave you. It wouldn't be right."

Kurt sighed, shaking his head.

"What?" Blaine asked.

"Blaine, if the distance is all that troubles you, you should say yes" Kurt said. "We can do this. I know we can."

"But what about you and Danny?" Blaine asked.

"I have my phone and internet connection. We will be fine" Kurt said.

"I won't see you too often" Blaine said.

"We can visit you" Kurt said. "Besides, I will be here for months because of the movie, too. And the Puckers will come to New York later this year. We wouldn't be apart too long."

"What about Danny? He has to go to school" Blaine said.

"I haven't talked to him about this yet, but I think we can find a solution" Kurt said. "I want him to come with me, so he doesn't have to stay with the girls."

Blaine nodded slowly. He still wasn't convinced but it seemed like Kurt had thought this through.

"So you want me to say yes?" he asked.

"I want you to be happy" Kurt answered. "I won't tell you what to do, Blaine. This is your life, your decisions. Whatever you decide to do, I will be there by your side."

"Even if I don't want this?" Blaine asked.

"Of course" Kurt said without hesitation.

Blaine nodded again. That was a huge relief, he felt a lot calmer knowing that Kurt supported him no matter what.

"I think I need some more time to think" Blaine said.

"Okay" Kurt smiled.

"But you should know, I'm very grateful for this night" Blaine said. "It was my dream to stand on the same stage with Puck and I felt so great tonight."

"I'm glad you liked it. They're amazing, both he and Quinn" Kurt said.

"They are" Blaine nodded. "I think I like them."

He hesitated for another second before stepping to Kurt, pulling him into his arms.

"You know, there's a terrace on the roof" Blaine said. "The city must be beautiful from there."

"And the stars, too" Kurt nodded.

"Let's go" Blaine smiled, taking Kurt's hand.

They walked out of the room and to the elevator. About two minutes later they arrived on the roof. There were comfortable looking armchairs all over and to their luck, nobody else was there. Blaine led Kurt to the edge of the roof from where they could see the city.

"It's beautiful" Blaine said.

"It truly is" Kurt nodded.

Blaine sneaked his arms around Kurt from behind, resting his chin on Kurt's shoulder.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" he asked.

"Not sure" Kurt said. "Sightseeing, maybe. If you want to."

"I would love to" Blaine replied. "So no more surprises for the rest of the trip?"

"No" Kurt laughed. "This was the only one."

"Thank God" Blaine said. "It is huge, I'm not sure I would be able to take more."

"I know" Kurt said. "But don't worry. I only wanted to stay a bit longer, so we can spend some time alone."

"We need it" Blaine agreed.

Kurt leaned his head back onto his shoulder and closed his eyes for a second before looking up at the beautiful, starry sky. Blaine followed his gaze, smiling when his eyes landed on the million stars over them. It seemed like they were so close that they could reach them.

Blaine smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Kurt's neck. As they stayed there unmoving, he had time to think about his future and he seemed to get closer to his final decision. He only had to find a good way to tell Kurt, preferably the next day.

~ o ~

The next day started as a very good one. After waking up at 10, the men slowly got ready for the day, enjoying their free time. It was unusual for both of them that they didn't have to hurry and had nobody to take care of. Blaine ordered them breakfast while Kurt called Rachel to make sure Danny was fine and after that, they eat breakfast together on their terrace. 

"I could get used to this" Kurt said as he looked down at the streets under them, with his mug in his hands.

"Me, too" Blaine replied.

"We should come back here someday" Kurt said. "I mean... if you don't want to move here."

"Of course" Blaine nodded, not wanting to tell Kurt what he had decided to do. Not yet. "So what are we going to do today?"

"We could take a walk in the city" Kurt said. "I always wanted to see the Walk of Fame, so we could go see it. Then have lunch somewhere, maybe go shopping if we have some time left..."

"That would be great" Blaine nodded. "But I will decide what to do tonight."

"Do you have something in your mind?" Kurt asked.

"Maybe" Blaine shrugged.

"Will you tell me?" Kurt asked.

"No" Blaine said.

"That's so not fair" Kurt said. "You're doing this because of yesterday, right?"

"Exactly" Blaine smiled.

"You're unbelievable" Kurt shook his head. "We should get ready and leave soon if we want to do all those things we planned for today."

"Give me a minute to change my shirt and I will be ready to go" Blaine said.

"I know. But I need more time" Kurt said as he stood up, placing his mug back onto the tray. "I will be in the bathroom."

"Are you telling me this on purpose?" Blaine asked.

"You tell me" Kurt shrugged and after placing a light kiss onto Blaine's right cheek, he walked back into the room.

"This is gonna be a long day" Blaine sighed but after emptying his own mug, he followed Kurt inside.

~ o ~

When they finally left the hotel, it was almost lunchtime. Since they had had a late breakfast, they decided to go sightseeing first and grab something on their way later, which they soon forgot, enjoying their day too much. 

Kurt had been in the city a few times but it was the first time for Blaine and he wanted to see everything he could. They spent long hours exploring Los Angeles, everything and everyone else completely forgotten. Blaine acted like an excited child, he found everything amazing, he dragged Kurt from one place to the other and Kurt was surprised that he didn't start bouncing while doing so. It so reminded him on Danny. Kurt followed his boyfriend with a heavy heart, feeling guilty for leaving Danny out of this. He knew how much Danny wanted to be here and it was selfish of him to spend these days without his son. But he wanted to give Blaine time to think about Puck's offer and make the decision alone, without feeling under pressure. He knew that Danny would have been excited about Blaine's chance to become famous and he would have talked so much about it, it would have made Blaine accept the offer, even if he didn't want it. It was important for Kurt to support his boyfriend, so he had to swallow his guilt and let these days revolve around Blaine. Even if he said yes, this trip would be unforgettable for both of them.

Later that day, they stopped to have a coffee and a slice of cheesecake before going shopping. Kurt still wasn't sure what Blaine wanted to do later that day but he told Kurt to not eat too much. Probably a dinner, Kurt told himself. He didn't mind at all, this way they had some more time for themselves. It surprised Kurt how much Blaine enjoyed their shopping trip, although he usually didn't like this activity. He helped Kurt choose between several outfits and even got himself a few new clothes after Kurt convinced him to take them. At some point, Blaine disappeared and when he got back to Kurt, he had a new shopping bag in his hand.

"What's in that?" Kurt asked.

"It's a surprise" Blaine answered.

"Oh, come on..." Kurt started.

"I will show you tonight" Blaine said.

"Fine" Kurt rolled his eyes. "Do you want to see anything else?"

"No, I think we've gotten ourselves enough clothes for the next ten years" Blaine said.

"Just a few new clothes" Kurt shrugged.

"Yeah, considering how large your wardrobe is, that's really just a few clothes" Blaine smiled. "But not everyone has hundreds of outfits, Mr Hummel."

"They should have" Kurt said. "Are we going to eat something? Because I'm starving."

"Patience, my dear" Blaine said and took Kurt's free hand, leading him back to the hotel.

After getting changed, leaving their shopping bags in the hotel, except for the mysterious one Blaine had gotten earlier that day, they left the hotel again. Blaine didn't say a word on their way to their destination, much to Kurt's annoyance. He so hated that he didn't know anything about their plans. It was frustrating but he had to take it. He had done the same the previous night after all.

Blaine led him to a small restaurant Kurt had never seen before. And he had no idea how Blaine knew about it. But it seemed like a friendly place and he knew that Blaine liked restaurants like this. He hated fancy places.

"How did you find this place?" Kurt asked.

"I asked my friends" Blaine smiled.

"Oh?" Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. Wes travelled a lot with his parents, he knows the best places" Blaine explained.

"Now I'm curious" Kurt said.

Blaine led him inside and they sat down to their table, right at the window.

"I thought you would like to enjoy the sight" Blaine said.

"When did you make the reservation?" Kurt frowned.

"When you were in the bathroom this morning" Blaine said.

"But you were with me in the bathroom" Kurt said in confusion.

"I'm a mysterious man, Mr Hummel" Blaine smiled.

"I know" Kurt sighed. "And I'm not sure I like this side of you."

"You absolutely love it" Blaine winked.

They ordered their food and a bottle of wine. Although Blaine had some trouble trusting people with his drink, he hoped that he wouldn't get drugged again. Wes had told him that he could trust these people, so he decided to give them a chance. He couldn't really live on bottled water for the rest of his life, besides Kurt deserved a real date. 

"Hm, it smells great" Kurt said when he got his fish.

"And it looks amazing" Blaine nodded, looking down at his own steak. Wes had been right about this place. They surely served the most delicous looking food of the city and on the top of that, they had huge portions, something they both needed after the long day.

"Oh my God" Kurt moaned. "You have to taste this."

He cut a piece of his fish and stabbed his fork into it. Then he raised it in front of Blaine's face and the man took it gladly.

"Not bad" Blaine smiled. He usually didn't eat fish but he agreed with Kurt in this. It was a good choice. "Would you like to try mine?"

"Sure" Kurt said and let Blaine feed him with his own fork. 

"The best you have ever eaten, right?" Blaine winked.

"Not bad" Kurt replied.

"No, Kurt. Not bad doesn't cover it" Blaine said.

Kurt laughed and shook his head. He so enjoyed his time with Blaine. They should have done this a lot earlier.

"What's in the bag?" Kurt asked later, when they finished their dinner and only had some wine left. 

"Which bag?" Blaine asked innocently.

"Come on, don't do this to me. You know that I hate surprises" Kurt said.

"Who said that it was yours?" Blaine asked, enjoying the situation.

"So it's for you?" Kurt asked. "Then you can show me."

"It's for you" Blaine said and after taking a deep breath, he handed Kurt the shopping bag. "Open it."

Kurt took the shopping bag from Blaine and peeked inside. Blaine enjoyed the confused look on his face as he pulled out the black shirt, a short, tight piece, decorated with hundreds of small rivets.

"Okay, I'm confused" Kurt admitted. "Why do I get this?"

"Because you need something to wear for my first concert" Blaine explained.

He kept his eyes on Kurt's face and watched the change of emotions on his face. He got more confused for a few seconds but then it disappeared as Kurt finally understood what Blaine was talking about and a huge smile appeared on his face.

"You join the band!" Kurt shrieked in excitement.

"I do" Blaine nodded with a smile.

"Oh my God!" Kurt said and jumped up from the table to get to Blaine, hugging him. "Blaine, this is amazing!"

"I know" Blaine laughed. 

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Kurt asked. "You... when did you decide to do it?"

"Yesterday" Blaine admitted. "I called Puck this morning and let him know but I wanted to tell you a more special way. And I want to thank you. Without you, I would have never gotten the chance."

"Don't be silly. You got in because you're talented" Kurt said.

"And because I have an amazing, supporting boyfriend" Blaine smiled.

"I have to tell Danny!" Kurt said suddenly and reached for his phone.

"Uhm... can I tell him?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, of course" Kurt said and handed Blaine his phone. "It's your career after all. He will be so excited!"

"He doesn't know, right?" Blaine asked as he dialed Rachel's number.

"Not yet but he should learn the news as soon as possible" Kurt said. 

"Voicemail" Blaine sighed as he pulled the phone away from his ear.

"Are you sure?" Kurt frowned. "That's weird. Rachel always keep her phone near."

"I will try again" Blaine decided but shook his head as he heard the same peeping sound. "Must be some trouble with her phone."

"Yeah, it must be it" Kurt agreed.

"It will be better to tell him in person" Blaine said.

"Yeah, you're right" Kurt nodded. "So we can celebrate together."

"Aren't we celebrating now?" Blaine asked.

"Of course we are" Kurt smiled and pulled Blaine close. "We will make this night unforgettable for you."

~ o ~

It was past 10 and the area was completely silent, just like every other time. The man knew very well that it was a peaceful street and nobody left their homes at this time of the day. He had been here several times to know that, after all. The Hummel house was just like the others, almost completely dark, only the dim lights of the TV getting through the open curtains. It had been two hours since Danny had gone to sleep and the woman had sat down to watch TV. Considering that she hadn't moved in the past hour, she had probably fallen asleep on the couch. It didn't mean he could be careless, though.

He hadn't planned to do this now or this way. He was a patient man and after the last time, he had made himself a promise to wait for the right time. That damn bodyguard had gotten too close to him, he had almost gotten caught. It was something he couldn't let happen. He had too much work in this, he had waited too long to get what he wanted, nobody could destroy his plans. 

But then, Kurt had done another fatal mistake and he couldn't stay in the background any longer. He had to do something before Kurt could destroy his and his son's life. He had been there when Kurt and his lover had left, leaving Danny behind. It disgusted him how easily Kurt could leave his own family behind to be with that man. They were probably fucking in their hotel room in Los Angeles right now, none of them caring about the people they had left behind. It was time to teach Kurt a lesson and show how terribly wrong he was. He was a father, that was his most important job and he couldn't throw it away for some curly haired hobbit. But Kurt was lucky, he was here for him to show him the right way back before it would be too late.

He had to wait for the second night to jump into action. He had been there the previous night as well but there had been too many people around. Kurt's friends, then the other bodyguards... It would have been impossible getting into the house without being noticed. But now...

That stupid woman was careless. She couldn't handle the security alarm, it was her first mistake. She should have pressed two damn buttons, it wasn't that hard. But she had also forgotten to lock the front door. Mistake two. Although it made his job a lot easier, he wasn't happy that Kurt had left his son with someone like this woman. She wasn't good enough to take care of a child. But he would show her...

He stepped to the door quietly and opened it, peeking inside. He couldn't see the couch from here but he didn't hear any noise, except for that stupid TV show she was supposed to watch. He quietly shut the door and locked it from the inside, pocketing the key. Now there was no way out of here, at least until he was done. 

Then he walked to the living room's door and carefully peeked in there. He could see the woman's slightly tilted head from behind, leaning against the couch. She didn't make any move, so she was either asleep or couldn't hear him get inside. He couldn't risk anything, though. He wasn't here for this woman, so he had to get her out of the way, quickly, and move to the next step.

He silently walked behind the woman and slowly reached for the lamp on the nearby table. One quick movement... he could do it. Unfortunately, he didn't see the glass beside the lamp, so when he lifted it, he knocked the glass down from the table. It didn't break but it didn't go unnoticed by the woman. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes, disoriented for just a second. But when she recognized the man, her eyes widened and she opened her mouth, probably to scream.

That was the moment he attacked, knocking her in her head with the lamp once but he lifted it into the air again, ready for another blow. It was unnecessary, though. With a soft moan, the woman fell forward, landing on the carpet and not moving anymore. He knelt down beside her to check if she was really unconscious and when he was sure, he put the lamp back down onto the table.

Then he stood up, considering what to do next. He had to tie her up and lock up somewhere, so she couldn't alert anyone. He couldn't be sure how long she would be out and it was important to keep her quiet until the next morning. But she wasn't the only person in the house and it seemed more important to make sure Danny didn't wake up to the noises they made in the living room.

Glancing at the unmoving body at his feet one more time, he made his way to the stairs, his smile larger with every step he took. He had been waiting for this for so long... And it was finally here.

He walked straight to Danny's door but he hesitated over the doorknob. He knew that he had no time to waste but... Kurt's room was so close and the man wasn't here... But his things were. Biting his lower lip, the man opened Danny's door slightly and when he made sure the boy was still asleep, he left it open and walked to Kurt's door. He would be very quick. Just a glance around the room, just a second...

But the temptation was too big. It was the first time he was left alone with Kurt's things and before he could stop himself, he walked to Kurt's bed and lay down, inhaling deeply. He expected to meet Kurt's sweet, familiar scent, but he groaned quietly when he found something disturbing instead. Kurt's scent was still there but there was something else, something he hated so much, suppressing Kurt's pure scent.

The bodyguard.

That asshole had slept with Kurt in this bed and now the whole room was reeking of his scent. He had destroyed everything.

No, not everything, he reminded himself. It could be fixed. He would fix it. He was here for that after all.

Getting up from the bed, he looked around. He needed something to get the bodyguard's smell out of his nose before he could throw up. His eyes landed on Kurt's wardrobe and smiled as he quickly walked closer. He opened the door and pulled out the first cloth he could get, a scarf. He didn't see its colour in the darkness but it was surely beautiful, just like its owner. Kurt had an incredible sense of fashion and all of his clothes were beautiful. He pressed the scarf to his nose and hummed happily as the familiar scent filled his nose. That was it. He was searching for this feeling.

He wanted to stay here forever, lost in Kurt's intoxicating scent but he had to move. He would just screw up everything if he stayed longer. He took a step away from the wardrobe while keeping the scarf in his hands and shut the door.

That was a mistake. The door was easier to close than he expected and since he couldn't really see what he was doing, he accidentally slammed it, the loud bang echoing in the room. And probably outside of it.

Suppressing a groan of frustration, he quickly and silently walked to the door. If he was lucky, Danny was a heavy sleeper and he didn't wake up to the noise...

"Rachel?"

Too late.

He peeked out just enough to see Danny as he walked out of his room. He stopped at his door, rubbing his eyes sleepily and then turned towards the stairs. The man opened the door and went after him, careful to not make any noise. As he reached Danny, the boy was already walking down the stairs. As much as he wanted to grab him now before he could cause him any trouble, he had to wait. It would be too risky and the last thing he wanted was to hurt Danny in any way.

"Rachel?" Danny asked again as he reached the living room. "Rachel, where..."

Danny stopped for a second and gasped, probably because he pointed out Rachel's unmoving body on the ground. He rushed to her side, fell to his knees beside her and started shaking her desperately.

"Rachel!" Danny shouted. 

The man could tell that he was already crying. He took a careful step forward.

"Rachel, wake up!" Danny cried, shaking the unconscious woman again.

Another step.

"Rachel, wake up, please" Danny said. "What's wrong? Are-are you sick? What should I do? Please, tell me!"

It was heartbreaking to see as Danny was kneeling beside the woman, shaking and crying, all alone. He couldn't let him suffer any longer.

With one swift movement, the man stepped behind Danny and crouched down. Sneaking his arm around the boy, he pulled his close and pressed his free hand to the boy's mouth to silence him if necessary. As he expected, Danny froze for a second but then he started screaming and struggling in his grip.

"Shh. It's okay Danny" he said, hopefully loud enough, so Danny could hear him through his own muffled screams. 

But Danny didn't seem to calm down at all. The man tightened his grip around him at first, hoping that the movement would help the boy but Danny just kept struggling, digging his nails deep into the man's arm. He hissed but stayed still, knowing that Danny needed some more time. He was probably scared because Kurt wasn't with him and he found his babysitter unconscious on the living room floor. Yeah, it must have been too much for him.

"Oh, sweetie, I know how you feel" the man said as he let go of Danny's arms and ran his fingers through the boy's hair instead. "But you don't have to be scared anymore."

He put his arm back around the boy but it was unnecessary. Danny slowly went still in his arms but he was still shaking and crying. The man looked down at the woman by their feet and sighed heavily.

"She will be fine" he said. "She's just... sleeping."

Danny reached up to pull the man's hand away from his mouth but he was shaking so badly that his fingers didn't even find the man's arm.

"Don't worry, sweetheart" the man continued. "I'm here now and I will make sure your daddy never forgets about you again. Okay?"

He pressed his forehead to Danny's hair, sighing again. He really meant it. He would make Danny's life better because he cared about him. He was his family after all, or at least he would be soon.

Once he took the final step they needed for their happiness.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I'm sorry for being late again. I had some editing to do and I couldn't finish it earlier. I hope you like this chapter.

As Kurt walked out of the bedroom the next morning, he found Blaine on the terrace, looking down at the city. He smiled, remembering the beautiful previous night, and stepped to Blaine, sneaking his arms around him from behind.

"Good morning" Kurt said.

"Good morning to you, too" Blaine smiled as he turned his head to give Kurt a kiss. "Are you ready to go home?"

"More than ready" Kurt said. "I miss Danny. I can't wait to see him."

"I know" Blaine nodded. "Have you called Rachel?"

"Not yet" Kurt said as he pulled away. "I will try to call her. Would you order something for breakfast?"

"Of course" Blaine said.

Kurt gave him another kiss before he turned around and walked back inside. He quickly searched through the room for his phone and soon found it in the pocket of his pants he had worn the previous night. He checked if Rachel had called him back but there were no missed calls. He frowned as he tried to call her again. She should have seen that he had called him, they had agreed to call each other at least twice a day.

It went to voicemail again which Kurt found weird. Rachel wasn't like this. She always answered her phone or if she couldn't, she called him back soon. It was so not like her.

"Could you talk to her?" Blaine asked as he walked into the room a few minutes later.

"She isn't answering" Kurt replied, trying to call Rachel the fourth time.

"That's weird" Blaine muttered.

"Do you think that something's wrong?" Kurt asked in concern.

"I don't think so" Blaine answered. "But if you want to, I can ask the guys to check on them."

"No, I think I will call Mercedes" Kurt said. "She wanted to go over anyway, there's no need to disturb the guys."

"We wouldn't disturb them" Blaine said but Kurt was already calling Mercedes.

As Kurt talked to Mercedes, agreeing with her that she would go over to his place with Tina soon, his hands started shaking. He couldn't explain why but he had a bad feeling that something was wrong and he could just hope that it was nothing major. He still made Mercedes promise that she would call him as soon as she got there, so he could make sure Danny was fine before getting onto the plane.

~ o ~

"He's a little overprotective" Tina said as she and Mercedes walked up to Kurt's house.

"Can you blame him? After everything that happened with that crazy guy..." Mercedes sighed.

"He's in jail. There's nothing to worry about" Tina shrugged and raised her hand to knock on the door.

They waited for a whole minute but nobody came to open the door for them and they couldn't hear any sounds from inside either.

"They should be awake" Mercedes muttered as she knocked again. "Hey, guys! Open the door!"

Another minute passed but nothing happened.

"Do you have a spare key?" Tina asked.

"I do" Mercedes nodded and went through her bag to get the key to Kurt's house. "I hope they're just asleep because Rachel will be in so much trouble if she dragged Danny into something crazy."

They opened the door and walked inside, looking around in the hall. The house was completely silent except for the TV still running in the living room.

"Rachel!" Mercedes called out as she walked to the TV and turned it off. "Guys, where are you?"

"Is it just me or do you sense something creepy in the air, too?" Tina asked.

"Rachel, it's not funny!" Mercedes shouted. "Kurt's worried sick about you two."

There was no response and both of them started to worry.

"Let's check upstairs" Tina said and walked to the stairs.

Just as she was about to walk upstairs, they heard a soft noise coming from somewhere in the living room. Tina stopped and turned around, searching for the source of the noise. They heard it again, it was quiet but definitely seemed like a knock.

"Where is it coming from?" Tina asked as she stepped back.

"From... there" Mercedes pointed at the door and walked back into the hall.

She turned towards the kitchen but the sound seemed to go quieter again, so she turned around. She was almost at the door of the living room when she stopped, turning her head towards the cupboard. She waited for a few seconds, until she heard the noise again. Yeah, it was coming from there.

"Tina" she called out and waited for her friend to join her before reaching for the handle, afraid of what she would find inside.

The door of the cupboard opened and they both screamed as they found Rachel lying in there, tied up and gagged, with a huge bump on her forehead.

"Rachel!" Mercedes gasped as she knelt down beside her and quickly pulled out the gag from her mouth. 

"Where's Danny?" Rachel asked desperately.

"I-I don't know" Mercedes said in concern.

"You have to find him!" Rachel cried as Mercedes helped her to sit up. "There-there was a man... he knocked me out and I don't know what happened after that. I woke up in here. I tried to call for help but I don't think anyone heard me."

Mercedes and Tina looked at each other in horror and then turned towards the stairs.

"Can we leave you here alone?" Tina asked.

"I'm fine. Just go!" Rachel said, gently pushing Mercedes away.

They didn't need any more. Mercedes made a quick search in the kitchen and the rooms downstairs and Tina rushed upstairs to check the bedrooms and the music room. She just finished in the last room when Mercedes joined her, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear.

"He isn't here?" she asked desperately.

"No" Tina said, blinking back her tears. "Do-do you think that..."

"Don't say it!" Mercedes said through her own tears. "God, what should we do now?"

"We have to call the police" Tina said.

"And Kurt" Mercedes sighed. "I-I don't think I can do that. He will be devastated."

"I will do it" Rachel said quietly as she walked into the room unsteadily. "Danny was my responsibility. I should have... should have kept him safe."

"Sit down" Mercedes said and led Rachel to the bed. "I think you need a doctor."

"I don't need anybody. I want to find Danny!" Rachel shouted.

"The police will be here soon" Tina said as she disconnected the call. "I can't believe it's happening... How can someone hurt an innocent child like him?"

"Don't say that. He's fine" Mercedes said.

"We can't be sure!" Tina replied.

"Stop, both of you" Rachel said as she wiped her face. "Okay, this is what we're going to do. Tina, go downstairs and open the door for the police. Mercedes, find me a painkiller because I think I will throw up."

"And you?" Tina asked. "You should lie down until help arrives."

"No" Rachel said quietly. "I have to talk to Kurt."

~ o ~

Danny tightened his arms around his his knees, squeezing his eyes shut. It was so cold in the room. He was shaking and although he could have gotten under the comforter easily, he couldn't make himself move the slightest. He was so scared.

He had no idea where he was. The man who had attacked them, had tied him up and wrapped him into a blanket, covering him completely, so Danny couldn't see anything. They had stayed in the living room for a while, Danny could hear the man move around before going back to him. Those horrible sounds haunted him since leaving the house. The last thing he had seen was Rachel lying on the ground, unmoving. Although the man had told him that she was just sleeping, Danny didn't believe him. He thought that Rachel was hurt and if she was, she couldn't call for help. Nobody would know about his disappearance and nobody would come to save him.

A few more teardrops escaped through his closed eyelids. He didn't even know where he was. He had been dragged out of the house and thrown onto the backseat of a car and the man had warned him to stay under the blanket. He wasn't sure how much time he had spent in the car but it seemed like forever. When they had finally arrived, the man had pulled him into his arms, keeping Danny under the blanket. He had heard the door being shut and locked behind them and then the man had brought him down the stairs and through another door. When it had been locked behind them, the man had finally pulled him out of the blanket and led Danny to the bed, telling him to have some rest and that he would be back in the morning.

Danny hadn't had any sleep that night. He hadn't even moved since he had been left alone. He was still sitting on the bed, his back pressed against the bedframe, his hands still tied in front of him. He somehow managed to pull his knees up to his chest and sneaked his arms around them. It was uncomfortable but at least he felt a little less vulnerable this way. 

Another sob left his lips as he opened his eyes. This room scared him. It was way too similar to his own room back at home, the toys, the furniture were all the same. The only missing piece was Cat. He pressed his back to the bedframe until it hurt, closing his eyes again. He couldn't watch it. It reminded him on his home, on Kurt. God, what if he wouldn't be able to see Kurt ever again? What if this man wouldn't let him go home?

"No" he said in panic. 

That couldn't be. Kurt was everything he had. He needed to go home to him. God, the walls were closing in around him, he couldn't breath, he had to get out of here...

"Danny!"

He opened his eyes wide and screamed when he found himself way too close to the man who had kidnapped him. He was right beside him, how could he not notice him before? He held his hands on his shoulders and it made Danny sick. He had to get away from his touch...

"Hey, sweetie" the man smiled at him. Danny hated his smile. It wasn't friendly at all, it had never been. "Deep breaths, okay? You don't have to be scared. You're safe with me."

"I-I want to go home" Danny stuttered.

"But you're home, Danny" the man smiled.

He reached out to stroke the boy's cheek but Danny pulled away and started crying again.

"I want to go home" he said again. "I want Kurt."

"Kurt abandoned you" the man said sternly. "He chose that disgusting man over you. I'm sure they completely forgot about you, they don't even know that you're missing."

"That's not true!" Danny shouted. "They will come for me. They will find me and bring me home! You just wait. Blaine always keeps us safe!"

The man growled in anger and before he knew what he was doing, he slapped the boy. Danny cried out and fell down onto the bed, curling into a ball to protect himself. The man stared down at his hands in horror. He didn't want to hurt Danny. It wasn't supposed to be this way. They were supposed to be happy but it was so hard to stay calm when he couldn't shut up about the bodyguard. He hated that man so much.

"I'm sorry" he said quietly and reached for Danny's hands but the boy pulled away from him. "I didn't want to hurt you. It just... It was a mistake and I'm so sorry. But you have to understand me. That man ruined our lives, he took Kurt away from us... He isn't good to you, Danny, you know that, right?"

Danny squeezed his eyes shut, trying to imagine that he wasn't here but at home, safe with Kurt and Blaine.

"I should be more patient, I get it" the man nodded and carefully reached for Danny's hands again.

Danny tried to pull away again but the man held his hands firmly. When Danny stopped struggling, he untied his hands and smiled at him again.

"Better, right?" he asked. "I'm sorry for that, too. But I was afraid that you would hurt yourself."

"Let me go. Please" Danny whispered.

"Hey, don't cry" the man said gently. "Are you hungry?"

Danny shook his head.

"Are you sure? Because I got you pancakes from that place you like so much. You should try to eat something. I don't want you to get sick" the man said.

Danny closed his eyes again and shook his head. His cheek was burning where he had been slapped and it just got worse from the hot tears that kept coming from his eyes. He wished Kurt would be there with him. He wouldn't let this man hurt him, he would defend him and bring him home.

"I will give you some time to calm down" the man said in the end. "This is all new for you, I get it. You need time to get used to your new home but I will do everything in my power to make you feel comfortable. Okay?"

Danny didn't reply and he sighed heavily. Damn, he knew that having a kid was hard but he had thought that it would be a lot easier. He had bought everything for Danny he had had at home. He had even gotten him the same clothes he had worn before, so he didn't have to feel like he was in a strange place. But the boy was so difficult. He didn't appreciate his efforts at all and kept babbling about the men who were supposed to keep him safe and still abandoned him. He didn't understand why Danny was so faithful to them. He had thought that spending a few days together would help but he wasn't that sure anymore. Maybe he could stop trying and move to the next step. Maybe it would help Danny open up to him. 

"I will make everything better, Danny" he said before leaving. "I will make Kurt see how bad that man is for you two. Just give me some more time. We will be so happy together. I promise."

~ o ~

Kurt felt like he was in a horrible nightmare he couldn't escape. He was sitting on his couch, barely aware of the crowd in his home or Blaine's calming arms around him. It felt so familiar. Just like when Will and Emma had died and he had had Danny in his arms...

Kurt let out a broken sob. Danny wasn't here with him this time. He had been taken away from him, he had been taken to somewhere where Kurt couldn't be with him. God, he must have been so scared. And Kurt hadn't been there to save him.

Sometimes a few words fought their way through his daze. Horrible details of the previous night, how that man had gotten into his home, how he had attacked Rachel and how he had taken his son... It was all in front of them. The cameras had been working, so they had everything documented. Kurt wasn't sure if he wanted to see it.

"Is it true?" he asked quietly.

"What, honey?" Blaine asked gently.

"What they say about missing children" Kurt said slowly as he looked up at the detective in front of him. "Is it true that 90 % of them are killed within 24 hours? Or was it 99 %? I-I don't remember exactly. I never thought that..."

His words turned into a sob again and he buried his face into Blaine's shirt.

"Every case's different, Mr Hummel" the detective said. "I can't be perfectly sure about Danny but I think he's still alive."

"How do you know that?" Kurt asked.

"That man went into a lot of trouble by taking him from his home" the detective explained as he sat down beside them. "He had planned this for a long time. He knew that you weren't home, that the security alarm wasn't working and that Danny was only with one of your friends. He knew when to attack."

"Who would do this?" Kurt asked. "He-he's innocent. He hasn't hurt anyone in his whole life."

"I know" the detective said. "Mr Hummel, I have to ask you a few more questions if you're ready."

Kurt nodded immediately. Anything to find Danny as soon as they could.

"Did you notice anyone act strangely around Danny?" the detective asked. "Or did he tell you about someone watching him?"

"No" Kurt said. "What do mean with that? Do you think that it's someone we know?"

"Considering how well he knows your home, I would say yes" the detective said.

"No, that's impossible" Kurt shook his head. "Only our friends and family are allowed to come here and they wouldn't do something like that."

"How many people knew that you wouldn't be home?" the detective asked.

"Again, my friends would never hurt Danny" Kurt said firmly. "Let me ask you something, too. What if it's the man who was after me for months?"

"That's impossible" the detective replied.

"Is it?" Blaine asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why do you think so?"

"Stalkers don't kidnap children" the detective said. "They mostly just watch their targets."

"This guy broke the window with a brick. He ruined Kurt's car and house and left letters and gifts for Danny, too. So let's go through this again: are you 100 % sure that it's not the same guy?" Blaine asked.

"I doubt it" the detective answered.

"This is insane" Blaine shook his head.

"Look, Mr Anderson, I know that you're both upset but believe me, I've seen a lot similar cases. The chances that Danny was kidnapped by a family member are a lot bigger than that Mr Hummel's stalker – who is in jail, by the way – did it. You and your team helped a lot the previous time and we're very grateful for that but please, let my team handle this. We're prepared for what's coming" the detective said.

"Seriously?" Blaine asked angrily. "Then share your secret with us."

The other man took a deep breath before avoiding Blaine, he turned to Kurt.

"He will get in touch with you" the detective said. "He will call you or send you a letter..."

Blaine snorted at that, earning an annoyed glare from the detective.

"…Whatever it is, you have to tell us about it immediately" the detective continued. "He will surely tell you to not call the police but there's nothing you have to be afraid of. We will be very discrete. He won't find out that we're here."

"Are you staying here? All of you?" Kurt asked, looking around in concern.

"One of my men will be here all the time" the detective answered. "If he calls you, we will be able to detect him. Just keep talking to him, ask him to let you talk to Danny. Stay calm, don't anger him."

"I-I can do that" Kurt nodded.

"Very good" the detective smiled. 

As the man stood up and joined his colleagues, another person joined the two men. Kurt felt bad as he looked at the bandage on Rachel's forehead, feeling guilty for forgetting about her in the craziness since he had gotten home.

"You should rest" Kurt said quietly.

"I'm fine" Rachel said. 

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" Blaine frowned.

"I left" Rachel shrugged. "I can't stay there, not when you need me."

"Rachel..."

"No, let me speak" Rachel interrupted Kurt. "I'm so sorry, Kurt. I shouldn't have let him take Danny away."

"Rachel, he knocked you out" Kurt pointed out.

"I promised you to keep him safe and I failed" Rachel cried. "If anything happens to him I..."

"Rachel" Blaine cut in quietly. "We will find him. We will bring Danny home safely and lock that guy up for the rest of his life."

"It will be over soon" Kurt said determinedly. "He will call soon and we will find out where they are."

Blaine hoped that Kurt was right. Something told him that his sixth sense was right and the police followed the wrong trace.

~ o ~

Later that day, when most of the police officers were gone, Kurt and Blaine were still sitting in the living room, waiting for the call. The Warblers had arrived about an hour earlier, after being questioned by the police. Blaine was so angry. He knew that his friends weren't guilty, none of them was. It was pointless questioning Kurt's and his friends because none of them would do such a thing to Kurt or Danny. They were just wasting their time. 

The Warblers' presence helped Kurt calm down a bit. Although they couldn't really work with the police watching them, Blaine still managed to get Nick to the computers to save everything they needed. He didn't trust the police but he was sure that his friends were able to find Danny if the police failed. They had to. Blaine loved Danny as if he was his own son and he wouldn't let anyone hurt him.

The sudden ringing of Kurt's phone made everyone stop in the room. Kurt took his phone into his shaky hand and checked the caller ID. Unknown number.

"It's him" Kurt said quietly.

"Remember, stay calm" the detective said as he grabbed the phone from Kurt's hand and attached it to the devices on the table. "Ask him to let you talk to Danny."

Kurt nodded and after taking a deep breath, he answered the call.

"Kurt Hummel" he said shakily.

"Hello, Kurt" a strangely deep voice said on the other end. "I see you arrived safely."

"Where's Danny?" Kurt asked, unable to keep his voice calm.

"Somewhere safe" the man answered.

"Is-is he alright?" Kurt asked.

"He's perfectly fine" the man answered.

"Let me talk to him" Kurt said.

"He doesn't want to talk to you" the man said. "You left him. You chose Blaine over him and went to have fun with him instead of staying with your son. How could you do this, Kurt?"

"Let me talk to my son!" Kurt said hysterically.

"He was so scared. He needed you and you weren't there" the man continued.

"Stop!" Kurt shouted. "I want to talk to my son."

"Mr Hummel, stay calm" the detective hissed.

"I just wanted to let you know that he's perfectly fine" the man said. "He's happy with me. I will make his life a lot better than you did."

"No" Kurt shook his head.

"Goodbye, Kurt." 

"No!" Kurt screamed.

The phone went silent and Kurt turned to the policemen around him, waiting for them to tell him where Danny was. So much time must have been enough to find that man. But the seconds passed and nobody said a single word.

"Where's he?" Kurt asked.

"We don't know" the guy behind the laptop answered. "He used a disposable cell phone. I couldn't track him down."

"What?" Kurt asked desperately. "But-but you said..."

"I'm sorry, Mr Hummel."

Kurt would have collapsed onto the ground if Blaine hadn't been there to catch him. It was too much. He had believed that the police would help him find Danny and he just found out that they couldn't do anything. It was their only chance to find Danny and they screwed up. He wouldn't get his son back, ever, and it was all their fault.

"Leave" Kurt said quietly.

"Excuse me?" the detective asked.

"You're all useless" Kurt said. "You promised me that you would find my son and you failed. I don't want to see any of you. Get out of my house."

"Mr Hummel..."

"All of you!" Kurt shouted and then took a deep breath as he turned to Blaine. "I want to be alone."

"I know" Blaine nodded. He couldn't blame Kurt. He must have felt like they lost Danny and he couldn't give him hope either. Not until he could finally work with his team in peace. So he watched in silence as Kurt stumbled to the stairs and within a minute, he disappeared from his sight. Then he turned back to the policemen, giving them his best angry glare. "You heard him. Pack your shit and get the hell out of here."

"You're in no position to..."

"Leave or I will kick you out myself" Blaine said. "I don't care if you send me to jail. If you don't find Danny, Kurt won't survive it and I won't have anything to live for either."

And he meant it. Kurt and Danny were his family, nobody could hurt them and get away with it. He would find that guy alone if he had to, especially since he had a very good theory of who could have done it. And if he was right, it wasn't over at all.

~ o ~

Kurt was lying in Danny's bed, with the boy's comforter around him, hugging an old soft toy Danny had gotten years ago. He needed something that belonged to Danny. He had to smell his scent, even if he couldn't be with him.

He was so confused and scared of the future. Had that man told him the truth? Did he want to keep Danny and not let Kurt see him ever again? What if it was right? What if they couldn't find them and Kurt would never see Danny again?

He pressed his face into Danny's pillow, sobbing. It was all his fault. He should have taken Danny to Los Angeles. He shouldn't have left him alone, not when someone had been out there waiting for the right time to get him. He had done it. He had abandoned his child, the man was right about it. There was only one person to blame and it was him. 

His phone he had brought upstairs without thinking beeped beside him. He didn't care. It wasn't important. Nothing was important anymore.

But it beeped again. And again. It frustrated him. Why couldn't people just leave him alone? 

"What the hell do you want?" he whispered angrily as he opened the messages, so he could send the sender to hell.

But as he opened the messages, his heart stopped.

Did you enjoy the show?

What the hell was this? Kurt frowned and rolled down to the next message.

It had to be done. They wouldn't have left us alone otherwise.

Kurt quickly read the next message, his breathing becoming quicker with every word.

Don't tell anyone

Not even him

Follow my orders and you will get Danny back in one piece

His phone beeped again and Kurt was afraid of what he should find there. He was so scared but at the same time, he still had hope to get Danny back. And he promised himself immediately that he would do anything that man wanted just to get Danny back safely.

I didn't hurt him

See

Kurt opened the attachment and almost dropped his phone when he found Danny's scared eyes looking straight at him.

I will contact you soon

"Whatever you want" Kurt whispered as he pressed the phone to his chest. "Just let him go. Please."


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I hope you are ready for the big revelation. Enjoy!

Blaine looked at his friends, sitting in stunned silence. He had known that they would react like this but he couldn't care anymore. Danny was missing, Kurt was a mess and he couldn't bear seeing him in so much pain. He had to find Danny and the man who had taken him. Even if everyone thought that he was crazy.

"Blaine, I don't know how to say this..."

"Don't" Blaine warned Jeff quietly.

"This is insane!" Jeff said. "We went through this several times. He can't be the guy we're looking for."

"It must be him" Blaine said. "You didn't see how he looked at us. At me. It's him."

"Blaine, Jeremy Carter isn't even in the city" Wes tried to reason.

"Isn't he?" Blaine asked with a raised eyebrow. "He told Kurt that he would leave but I know that he's still here. I can feel it."

"Blaine..."

"Would you believe me just once in my life?" Blaine growled in frustration. "He drugged me. He tried to take Kurt away from me every possible way and he was clever enough to not leave any signs. It's him."

"You can't think straight" David said quietly. "You're worried about Danny and you're trying to find his kidnapper desperately..."

Blaine jumped up and slammed his hands down onto the table, causing the others to jump. He pressed his lips together as his angry gaze wandered from one Warbler to the other.

"I let you convince me that I was wrong" he said quietly. "That it was my jealousy making me see things but it's over."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He couldn't yell at his friends. Kurt needed to rest and he wouldn't disturb him.

"He went too far this time" Blaine continued. "I let him get away after drugging me but I won't let him hurt Danny. And you will help me."

"Blaine..."

"I'm the leader of this team" Blaine said seriously. "I hate doing this but if you don't want to help me, I will give you an order. I want to know everything about Jeremy Carter from the past two months. Every single step he made."

"What if we're following the wrong lead? We could get Danny killed" Wes said.

"I think Blaine's right" Nick said quietly.

"Not you too..." Wes sighed.

"Have you forgotten who found Joanne Miller's stalker? Who stopped Chris Taylor? I can't believe we're arguing about this when Danny's in danger!" Nick said angrily. "This guy's clever. Look what he's done to our team. We don't even believe each other!"

Nick's words were followed by heavy silence. He was a quiet and very calm person who rarely yelled and it was always because of something Jeff did. But this time he was frustrated, like every one of them. They wanted to find Danny so desperately, it sent them all over the edge.

"Let's give it a shot" Jeff said after a minute.

"Fine" Wes agreed. "But if it doesn't lead us anywhere, we will do this the regular way."

"It won't be necessary" Blaine said quietly. "Nick, I want you to find everything you can about Jeremy Carter, especially how he spent the last two months."

"I'm on it" Nick nodded and stood up.

"I'm gonna help him" Jeff volunteered.

"Very good" Blaine nodded. "Wes, David, we will go through the recordings. See if we can find anything the police didn't notice."

"It's gonna be a long night" David sighed.

"But if we find the guy, we will bring Danny home soon" Jeff said.

And it was what they all wanted after all.

~ o ~

The next morning, after spending hours in front of the computer, Blaine decided to take a break. He knew that they didn't really have time for that but he had to get away. This case was a lot different than the others. It was Danny who was in danger, the boy Blaine considered as his family. The most precious person in Kurt's life. And he couldn't watch him suffer anymore. Knowing that that asshole had Danny in his clutches made Blaine sick. He had to get away from those horrible pictures, even if only for a few minutes.

He decided to check on Kurt since he hadn't seen him since the previous night. He made him coffee and prepared his breakfast. Blaine wasn't hungry at all but it didn't mean he forgot about his boyfriend. Kurt had to stay strong and it was his job to make sure he was alright.

He wans't surprised when he found Kurt in Danny's bedroom, lying in the bed but awake. He had some cloth in his arms, holding it to his chest and he was crying. Blaine recognized the shirt as he stepped closer. They had bought it together in Los Angeles. 

"I made you coffee" Blaine said quietly as he sat down beside Kurt.

"Thank you but I don't think I can stomach anything" Kurt replied.

"You can't do this" Blaine sighed. "Danny needs you to stay strong."

Kurt pressed his eyes closed and turned his head away.

"Look at me" Blaine said.

"Blaine, please, just leave me alone" Kurt whispered.

"I don't think you should be alone" Blaine said.

"I want to" Kurt said.

Blaine sighed again and lay down beside his boyfriend, pulling Kurt into his arms.

"We will find him" he said.

"He should be here with us" Kurt said after a while. "He-he should wear this, sing with us in the kitchen, prepare breakfast and dream about our beautiful future. But I-I ruined everything."

"Don't say that" Blaine said seriously. "This isn't your fault, Kurt. You haven't done anything wrong."

"Really?" Kurt asked as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "I left him home. I left without him, without making sure he was safe..."

"You did everything you could" Blaine interrupted. "Believe me, there was nothing you could do to stop this from happening. He would have taken him, possibly you, too, and he would have lost our only chance to find him."

Kurt sighed sadly, looking away.

"I want to be alone, Blaine" he said.

"But..."

"Please" Kurt said quietly.

Blaine took a deep breath. It so wasn't right like this. He had to stay here, support his boyfriend... But Kurt didn't need him here. Not now. He needed his son back and Blaine had to find him for Kurt.

"Tell me if you need anything" he said and slowly got out of the bed.

"I will" Kurt nodded.

He waited for Blaine to leave and then pulled his phone out of his pocket. He was waiting for the man who had taken Danny to contact him but there was still no sign of him. He wasn't sure how long he could do this, especially that he couldn't tell Blaine anything. The loneliness and desperation were slowly killing him but he had to go through this. For Danny.

Blaine walked back downstairs and decided to check on Nick and Jeff. They had spent the whole night awake, at least he could ask them if they wanted a coffee or something. But as he walked into the room and saw the excitement on their faces, he stopped. They must have found something.

"Blaine, you have to see this" Jeff said as he grabbed his friend's arm and dragged him closer.

"You remember that Jeremy told you about his new job in LA, right?" Nick asked.

"Of course. He took over his father's new company" Blaine nodded.

"Well, he should have done that. He sold his house, bought himself an apartment in LA and his papers were all ready... But Jeremy never showed up in Los Angeles" Nick explained.

"What?" Blaine asked. "You mean that he was here all along?"

"I don't know" Nick said. "We're trying to find out how he spent the last two months."

"Do it" Blaine nodded. "Just tell me what you need but find me the guy."

"We will, Blaine" Jeff said and put a hand onto Blaine's shoulder. "You were right from the first moment."

"Jeff..."

"I'm sorry" Jeff continued. "I feel responsible for Danny's kidnapping. We should have believed you, than we could have caught the guy earlier and it wouldn't have happened."

"He's clever" Blaine said. "He knows us too well."

"But we will stop him this time" Nick said.

"I know" Blaine smiled. "We're the Warblers. We will find him and send him straight to jail."

"You're damn right" Jeff nodded.

~ o ~

Danny glanced down at the table, checking the food in front of him with critical eyes. It wasn't like he couldn't eat, he hadn't had anything for more than a day, but accepting food from his kidnapper... he wasn't sure if it was a good idea. Kurt would surely tell him to not touch the food at all. 

"Eat, honey" the man smiled at him from the other side of the table. "It's delicious."

Danny grabbed the fork with a shaky hand and raised it over the plate but before it could touch the pasta, he dropped the fork and it fell down from the table. Danny jumped at the sound of the fork hitting the ground beside him and he looked at the man carefully. What would happen to him now? Would the man punish him?

"Oh, don't worry, Danny" the man said and quickly stood up to get the boy another fork. "It's okay." 

"Let me go" Danny whispered. "I want to go home."

"But you are home, sweetie" the man smiled.

Danny shook his head and started crying. The man seemingly hated it when Danny was upset because his smile disappeared and he groaned in frustration.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to be afraid of me?" the man asked. "I won't hurt you. I never hurt you and I never will."

"You took me from ho-home" Danny cried.

"Because it's the best for you" the man tried to reason. "Look, I know why you're upset. You miss Kurt, right?"

Danny nodded.

"Oh, honey. Don't worry" the man said. "He will join us soon."

Danny gulped nervously. Even if he was just a little boy, he knew what it meant. That the man would take Kurt, too.

"I know what you need now" he continued. "Cheese!"

Danny opened his mouth but nothing came out. This man was insane.

"I will be back in no time" the man said and stood up from the table.

Danny looked after him until he disappeared behind a door. He didn't know this place at all, only its basement but he assumed it was a huge place. He could see the hall when they had walked upstairs and another staircase leading somewhere. If he was lucky, it took the man some time to come back. He so didn't want to see him. Even being locked up in the basement alone seemed like a better option than spending his time with this crazy man.

Danny sighed and turned away from the door. He didn't want to know when he came back. He was scared of his sight, of his touch, of the whole person. 

Suddenly, his eyes landed on the front door. He could see it from where he was sitting, he was close to it. If he could get there, he could run, he could get away and get help. There were surely people around...

Without wasting another second, Danny jumped up from his seat and rushed to the door. The handle was high but he could still reach it, he could open it...

"No."

He pulled down the handle but nothing happened. He pulled it towards him, then tried to push it forward, anything to make it open, but the door stayed unmoving. With one last desperate attempt, Danny grabbed the handle with both of his hands and tried to yank the door open.

"Please" he whispered.

But the door was locked securely and didn't move the slightest. Danny gave up and turned around. There must have been another door. He had to find it and get out of here quickly, before the man could catch him. He took a deep breath and ran to the door on his left, the one leading away from the man. It was his best chance to run away.

But as he ran through the door, he bumped into a large and solid body. He screamed and took a step back but his arms were grabbed and the man pulled him close, keeping him in a tight grip.

"Going somewhere?"

Danny looked up slowly. He was caught, again, and he had a bad feeling that he wouldn't get away with it easily. He desperately tried to break free but the man held him securely.

"Stop it" he ordered.

And Danny stopped, scared of the consequences.

"Now that's a good boy" the man smiled. "What are you doing here? You should have waited for me inside."

"I..." Danny tried to come up with a good explanation but nothing came out.

"You wanted to play in the garden?" the man offered.

It seemed like a good reason. Danny nodded, keeping his gaze on the ground. The man smiled at him and let go of Danny's arms, running his fingers through his hair instead.

"So you wanted to play..." he said and suddenly, he grabbed Danny's hair, forcing his head back. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"No!" Danny said hastily, wincing in pain.

"Then why are you lying to me?" the man hissed.

"I'm sorry" Danny cried. It was a stupid idea, he knew it. But he couldn't just sit and wait to be saved… He wanted to go home to Kurt so badly.

The man sighed and let go of the boy's hair. Danny slumped onto the ground, pulled his knees up to his chest and closed his eyes as a quiet sob left his lips. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to go home.

"It's okay, sweetheart" the man said as he crouched down beside Danny, stroking his cheek. "I forgive you. Don't cry."

"Ku-Kurt" Danny cried.

"Oh, Danny..." the man sighed. "It will be fine. I will take care of everything."

Danny opened his eyes wide and looked up at the man, remembering what he had told him in the dining room.

"I know what we need to be happy and I will get it for us" the man said. "We need Kurt to join us."

"No" Danny said, shaking his head. This man couldn't hurt Kurt, he wouldn't survive that...

"Let's go back downstairs, okay?" the man said gently. "You have a good night sleep and when you wake up, Kurt will be here with us."

"No!" Danny screamed as the man grabbed him and pulled him up to his feet. He tried to push him away but the man was so strong, he easily lifted him off his feet and dragged him back into his cell in the basement. 

"Now stay still" the man said when he dropped Danny onto the bed and reached into his pocket for something.

Danny pushed himself back, as far away from the man as he could. He watched in horror as the man grabbed a white cloth from his pocket and poured something onto it from the little bottle he got from his other pocket.

"I know Kurt will understand it" the man said as he grabbed Danny's ankle and pulled him back to him. "I didn't want to use it, it's not really good for kids but you have to sleep and this is our only chance."

"Wha-"

The man pressed the cloth over Danny's nose and mouth and kept it there. Danny struggled in his grip, of course, but he was just a child, the man could easily hold him down. It didn't take Danny long to go limp in his hold and when his eyes closed and didn't open anymore, he pulled the cloth back from the boy's face.

"Good boy" the man smiled as he lifted the comforter off the bed and wrapped Danny into it. 

Then he stepped back, watching the boy for a little while. He seemed so peaceful in his sleep. He usually didn't look like Kurt at all, except that they were both pale, but when Danny was asleep like this, it was so easy to see the similarity. He knew that he had made the right choice. He had found the perfect man with the perfect child, and that was all he had ever wanted. 

He turned around and left the room, locking the door behind him. Danny needed to sleep and he would be out for a few hours if everything went well. But he had so much to do...

~ o ~

Kurt stepped out of the house and quietly closed the door behind him. It was easy to avoid Blaine and the other Warblers since they were busy searching for the man who had taken Danny. Not that they would find anything... Kurt knew that they wouldn't. And he didn't want them to dig deeper because they would risk Danny's life and Kurt would possibly never see him again. He had gotten a horrible phone call the previous day, he couldn't go through that again.

"Kurt, what are you doing here?"

Kurt jumped as Nick appeared in front of him out of nowhere. He thought that they were all inside...

"Uhm... what are you doing here?" he asked back.

"I needed a break" Nick answered. "Don't worry, the others are still inside working and I..."

"It's okay" Kurt said. "I get it."

"I needed fresh air to think" Nick said. "It usually helps me."

"Yeah, that's why I'm here, too" Kurt said.

"Do you want to talk?" Nick asked.

"Not really" Kurt answered.

Nick sighed and stepped closer to Kurt, put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

"We will find him" he said. "We have a lead and it's just the matter of time to find the guy who did this. We will bring Danny home."

Kurt smiled sadly. He wanted to believe Nick but he knew that they wouldn't find anything. The man who had taken Danny had made sure to not leave anything behind.

"I just want to be sure he's fine" Kurt whispered.

Nick watched him thoughtfully. He hesitated if he should hug Kurt or not. He wasn't really good in this but he cared about Kurt and Danny and wanted to comfort the other man.

"Should I call Blaine?" Nick offered.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked, frowning.

"Yeah. You know, your boyfriend" Nick smiled. "You should talk to someone. It would help."

"You're right" Kurt said slowly. "Uhm... Would you please tell him that I'm waiting for him out here?"

"Of course" Nick nodded and walked to the front door.

Kurt waited until the door closed behind Nick and then, without hesitating for another second, he rushed to his car and got inside. He didn't know how long it would take for Blaine to come after him but he couldn't risk getting caught. Blaine wouldn't understand this. Kurt knew that Blaine loved him just as much as he loved the man and he wouldn't let him go. But it was his only chance to get his son back.

He was shaking as he pulled out of the driveway and soon, the house disappeared from his sight. Damn, Blaine would so hate him for this... He and his team were working so hard to find Danny and Kurt lied to them all, left without a word and decided to handle this on his own. Yeah, Blaine would definitely be angry with him. He would yell at him.

If he has a chance, Kurt thought.

He didn't know what was waiting for him but one thing was sure: he would save Danny and get him to safety, even if it was the last thing he did.

When Blaine stepped out of the house, following Nick, he was confused. Nick had told him that Kurt was waiting for him outside but there was no trace of Kurt. Blaine took a step forward and opened his mouth to call out for Kurt but then he saw it: the car was missing.

"Oh, shit" he muttered as he ran down onto the street. 

"You don't think that he..."

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm thinking!" Blaine growled. "Damn, Kurt, what the hell were you thinking?"

"The stalker contacted him somehow" Nick said slowly. "We have to find him!"

"Don't you think I know?" Blaine yelled in frustration. This couldn't be happening. First Danny, then Kurt... And why hadn't Kurt told him anything? 

He turned around and ran back into the house and up into Danny's room. Kurt had spent the last day in that room, if there was something in the house that could help them find Kurt, it would be there. Blaine tossed toys and clothes out of the way, desperate for something that could lead him to Kurt and to that asshole who had taken everyone away from him. He wanted to find that lunatic and punish him for hurting his family.

"Blaine..."

"His phone isn't here" Blaine said. "Jeremy must have called him. Find out where the call came from."

"Blaine, we should tell the police" Jeff said.

"They won't do anything" Blaine replied. "We have to do this on our own."

"Blaine, I think..."

Blaine silenced Jeff with an angry glare.

"They will meet somewhere" Blaine said. "He will pick him up somewhere and we have to get there in time or else they will disappear and we won't find them again."

"Blaine..."

"Do it!" Blaine shouted.

"I need time" Nick said quietly.

"Just find them!" Blaine said desperately.

Nick nodded and left the others. He would surely find out where the call had come from, the question was if he could do it in time. It wasn't that easy and they all knew that. Unless Kurt wouldn't meet the guy in the next few hours, they had no chance to get there in time. Kurt had done a stupid mistake by not telling them about the call and there was a chance that they wouldn't be able to save him and Danny.

Jeff took a tentative step towards his friend. He didn't exactly know how Blaine felt but if he had been in his place, he would be scared and pissed off. Blaine had tried so hard to find Danny and now he lost Kurt, too, and their chances weren't the best to find them and bring them home safely.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Blaine asked quietly.

"He surely wanted to" Jeff replied. "I guess Jeremy threatened him to kill Danny if he told us anything."

Blaine growled, grabbed the first toy he could get and threw it across the room.

"I will kill him!" he shouted.

"Believe me, you will have a chance" Jeff said darkly. "He can't disappear with them. We will find them, even if he takes them to the end of the world. We can do it."

"And he will pay for everything" Blaine said. 

~ o ~

The loud music hurt his head. Kurt hated places like this, he felt lost in the crowd and the smells disgusted him. He didn't even know what he was doing here. The man had given him orders what to do and where to meet him but it didn't make any sense. He still came to the club since he had no other choice. He was so scared that Danny could get hurt that he followed the orders and came here, all alone and without telling Blaine anything. He knew that it was stupid and he had considered to tell the Warblers about the text messages and form a plan but he had found it too risky. His stalker could have seen them and he would have disappeared with Danny, without giving Kurt another chance to get his son back.

So now here he was, standing in the middle of the dance floor, waiting for the man to find him since he had no idea who he was searching for.

"Hey, Kurt."

Kurt turned around and his eyes widened when he found Jeremy standing right beside him, smiling at him. His heartbeat sped up. Jeremy couldn't be here right now. His stalker would see him with Kurt and he would think that Kurt tricked him...

"I have to go" Kurt said hastily but before he could step away, Jeremy grabbed his arm.

"Hey, don't go" he said. "I haven't seen you since ages."

"Jeremy, this isn't the right time..."

"Of course it is" Jeremy said. 

"You don't understand!" Kurt shouted in frustration. Damn, why couldn't things go easily?

"Oh, I do" Jeremy said and pulled Kurt close. "And if you followed my orders, we have all the time we need."

Kurt needed a whole minute to understand what was going on. Probably because he had known Jeremy for years, because he had trusted him, he couldn't believe the small voice in his head. But as the seconds passed and Jeremy kept him in his arms, smiling at him with a glimpse of craziness in his eyes, Kurt finally understood everything.

And in that same moment, Kurt got blinded by anger.

"Where's my son?" he shouted and tried to push Jeremy away but he held him steadily. "What have you done to him, you monster?"

"Calm down" Jeremy said.

"Don't tell me what to do! Where's Danny?" Kurt yelled.

People turned towards them but nobody heard what they were talking about. They looked like a fighting couple, nothing more.

"Be quiet" Jeremy said as he tightened his grip on Kurt's arms. "You don't want him to get hurt, right?"

Kurt gulped nervously and forced himself to take a few calming breaths. As much as he wanted to punch Jeremy, he had to keep Danny safe.

"That's it" Jeremy smiled. "Why don't we take a walk outside?"

"Is he here?" Kurt asked.

"No, but I will bring you to him" Jeremy answered.

Kurt closed his eyes for a second. He should have known that it wouldn't be so easy.

"Come on" Jeremy said as he let go of Kurt's arms and sneaked his arm around his waist instead. "This way."

Kurt felt sick from Jeremy's touch, knowing that it was the same person who had hurt Danny. But there was nothing he could do. He had to get to Danny and it meant he had to let Jeremy take him to the boy, wherever that place could be.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the new chapter. Enjoy!

Kurt tightened his hands on the steering wheel. He was shaking so hard that he was afraid he would crash the car if he didn't pay attention. They had been on their way for almost an hour now and there was no sign that they would arrive anytime soon. He was so scared and worried about Danny. 

"Did you leave him alone?" he asked quietly. It was the first time he talked to Jeremy. The man disgusted him and he didn't even want to be near him but he had to know if Danny was alright.

"What do you think?" Jeremy asked.

"I think that you are crazy" Kurt replied.

"He's fine" Jeremy said. "I left him alone but I don't think we should worry about him. He's a clever kid."

"He's only seven" Kurt said.

"He's learnt how to manage on his own" Jeremy snorted. "Thanks to you."

"I never left him alone" Kurt said.

"Oh, yes, you did. You left him with your friend who can't even handle the security alarm" Jeremy smiled. "Do you know how I got into your house that night? Your friend left everything open. I only had to walk to the door and open it."

"It's not her fault" Kurt hissed.

"Whose fault is it then?" Jeremy asked. "Right. It's yours."

"Are you enjoying this? Because I'm not" Kurt said.

"I do what I have to do to save this family" Jeremy said and put a hand on Kurt's thigh.

Kurt froze for a second but then reached out and pushed Jeremy's hand away. He couldn't let him touch him. It was so wrong.

"Do you act like this when your dear bodyguard touches you, too?" Jeremy asked.

"It's different" Kurt replied.

"Of course" Jeremy nodded.

"What do you want from us? Why did you take Danny and played this game with me? I don't understand" Kurt said.

"Because you were so caught up in your little adventure with your lover that you didn't see the important things" Jeremy said. "I had to do something. I couldn't let him ruin your life."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kurt asked.

"Everything was so perfect" Jeremy continued. "We took small steps and although I wanted more, I understood that you had a kid and couldn't just jump into a relationship. So I gave you both time. It was a mistake, I know now."

"Jeremy, there was nothing between us" Kurt said as he finally understood what was going on. Damn, Jeremy was crazy. He had to make this clear before he could come up with another crazy explanation and convince himself that Kurt felt anything for him. It was so not true.

"Of course there was" Jeremy said. "I saw it, Kurt. I noticed how you looked at me. You flirted with me, you came up with those silly excuses to meet me more often, you even asked me out for a date..."

"What?" Kurt asked in confusion. There had been no such a thing, he would remember that.

"Our dinner in that restaurant" Jeremy said. "There was just you and me, how can you not remember?"

The dinner before the ball. The dinner Kurt hadn't wanted at all. God, how could Jeremy not remember? Was he really that crazy that he made up things in his mind?

"You asked me out" Kurt said slowly. "You said that it was a work date."

"It's not true" Jeremy shook his head.

"It is!" Kurt shouted in frustration. "I never asked you out because I never wanted to be with you. There's no me and you and it's not because of Blaine but because you disgust me!"

Kurt was pretty sure that Jeremy wanted to hit him in that moment. He stopped the car before they could get into an accident and reached for the handle to open the door.

"I wouldn't do that" Jeremy warned him.

Kurt took a deep breath and pulled back his hand. He had no choice. If he wanted to see Danny again, he had to do what Jeremy told him.

"Very good" Jeremy smiled. "Now drive the car to that gas station."

Kurt looked away from Jeremy and back at the road. Not too far from them, there was a gas station, he could see its lights from there. He gulped as a sudden idea crossed his mind. He could get help. They could get Jeremy arrested and lock him up somewhere where he couldn't go near Kurt again.

You would get Danny killed, a loud voice said in his head. There was a chance that Jeremy wouldn't tell them where Danny was and Kurt wouldn't see him ever again. He couldn't risk that.

"Stay in the car" Jeremy said. "I will be quick."

Kurt watched him as he walked to shop and stepped inside. For a few minutes, he couldn't see Jeremy and he used that time to calm down a bit. He had to form a plan how to get Danny and bring him as far from Jeremy as he could. He had to pay attention on their way there, he had to know how he could get out of there, wherever their destination might be. And then, as fast as he could, he had to get Danny out of there. His kid had spent way too much time with this lunatic, God knew how much damage Jeremy had already done.

"Here."

Kurt jumped in his seat as Jeremy got in the car again and pressed a paper cup into his hand. Coffee. Jeremy bought him coffee. Kurt glanced down at the paper cup skeptically. Should he drink it? 

"I'm not an idiot, Kurt" Jeremy said. "Why would I drug you and risk that we get into an accident? It's safe."

Jeremy was right. He was crazy for sure but he surely didn't want to kill Kurt or himself. Right?

"Danny acted like this, too" Jeremy smiled. "He didn't want to accept food from me."

"He's a smart boy" Kurt said quietly.

"Yeah. He tried to escape. Can you believe it?" Jeremy smiled.

Kurt almost dropped the paper cup. If Danny had tried to escape and Jeremy had caught him, who knew what he had done to the boy. 

"Is-is he alright?" Kurt asked shakily. "You didn't hurt him, right?"

"Of course not" Jeremy smiled. "We are family. I would never do that to my son."

"He is my son!" Kurt hissed. 

"We will raise him together" Jeremy said. "Don't worry, I planned everything. I know what you need and we will be so happy together."

"You're insane" Kurt shook his head.

"Drink your coffee, honey" Jeremy said. "Danny is waiting for us. He will be so happy to see you. I promised him that we would be there when he wakes up."

Kurt pressed his eyes closed and took a deep breath. He needed all of his willpower not to kill Jeremy right there and then. He hated the man with all of his heart.

"What do you want from us?" Kurt asked.

"I already told you, didn't you pay attention?" Jeremy smiled. "I know what you need, you told me, remember? You want to work less and spend more time with your family. I have to tell you, this is the best you can do. Danny needs you."

Jeremy sighed happily and closed his eyes as he imagined their future.

"I will support you" he continued. "I have enough money, so you don't have to work anymore. You will stay home and raise Danny."

"You can't honestly think that..."

"You will do as I tell you" Jeremy said seriously. "I wasted too much time to find the perfect family and now that I have you, I won't let you ruin my plans."

"Why me?" Kurt asked quietly.

"Because you are perfect for me" Jeremy smiled. "You're smart and beautiful and your son is just the perfect age. I always wanted a son but I can't have one on my own. Not that I mind, not at all. I hate babies. They are so freaking annoying."

"I can't believe you're doing this" Kurt said in panic. The more he found out about Jeremy's crazy plans, the more he freaked out.

"I will spend a lot of time with you" Jeremy said dreamily, as if he didn't hear Kurt at all. "Once my father dies – and believe me, it will happen soon –, I will take over his company completely and all I will have to do is to check on my employees. I can make it from home. I won't be like my father."

"Good luck with that" Kurt snorted. "Last time I checked, your father was perfectly healthy."

"Accidents happen, Kurt" Jeremy smiled.

"Please, don't tell me you hurt your own father" Kurt said as he glanced at Jeremy in concern.

"Not yet" Jeremy winked.

Kurt took another deep breath and tried to shut out his scary thoughts about what Jeremy might do to them if he had thoughts like this about his own father.

"The old man deserves it" Jeremy said darkly. "He wanted to leave me out of his will when he found out I wasn't able to have a child. I did everything to make him proud and this is what I get in return. Well, he can be happy now. I will make sure he meets his grandson before he dies."

Kurt tried to ignore Jeremy for the rest of the ride. He had heard too much already, he didn't need more. So he focused his thoughts on Danny, it helped him survive the time that seemed like forever in the car.

When they finally arrived to their destination, a house deep in the woods, away from everything, Kurt gulped nervously. Jeremy had planned this too well. There was no way he could get Danny out of here, if they could leave the house at all. Kurt noticed the bars on the windows. There was no way they could escape there and he was pretty sure that Jeremy would lock the door securely.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Jeremy asked as he walked to Kurt and pulled him into his arms. Kurt raised his arms and pushed him away.

"Don't touch me" he hissed.

"Come on, we've gone through this a few times" Jeremy rolled his eyes. "We are a family now, we..."

"If you think I will let you touch me like that, you're wrong" Kurt said.

Kurt saw the quick change of emotions in Jeremy's eyes but he wasn't able to react in time. Jeremy grabbed his wrist, twisted his arm behind his back and slammed Kurt down onto the hood, his head barely missing the hard surface.

"You will do as I tell you" Jeremy said and tightened his grip on Kurt's arm. "You will hug me, you will kiss me, you will do absolutely everything to make me feel good."

He let go of Kurt and the man got up immediately, facing Jeremy with wide eyes. Jeremy reached under his jacket and to Kurt's horror, he pulled out a gun.

"I don't want to use this but I will if I have to" Jeremy said seriously.

Kurt gulped nervously and nodded, his eyes glued at the gun in front of him. Jeremy seemed to relax at that and put his gun back away.

"Let's go inside, honey" he said and sneaked his arm around Kurt who stayed still this time. Jeremy smiled and pressed a kiss to Kurt's cheek. Kurt needed all of his strength not to throw up. "Danny is waiting for us."

They walked inside and after locking the door and pocketing the key, Jeremy led Kurt down to the basement. Kurt became more and more nervous as they walked down the stairs. Danny must have been so scared down here, all alone, without him...

"Danny!" Kurt cried out when Jeremy opened the door and Kurt finally saw the little boy, lying in the bed. He ran to him and shook his shoulders gently. "Honey, I'm here. Are you okay?"

Danny blinked a few times but he didn't react. Kurt watched him in concern. Something was wrong.

"Honey, can you hear me?" Kurt asked.

Danny opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't form a proper answer. He seemed weirdly disoriented and Kurt knew that it couldn't be because he had been sleep. Kurt knew Danny too much to know that something wasn't right and he needed about a second to realise what it was.

"You drugged him?" Kurt gasped as he turned to Jeremy.

"He had to sleep" Jeremy shrugged.

"I can't believe you did this!" Kurt said. He wanted to punch Jeremy so badly but he knew that he couldn't do anything. So he pulled Danny into his arms and focused on the boy.

"I wanted the best for him" Jeremy explained. "He was tired but he didn't want to..."

"Do me a favor and leave us the hell alone" Kurt said angrily.

"Fine" Jeremy said as he walked to the door. "Get some sleep. We will have breakfast together in the morning. Like every normal family."

Kurt simply ignored him. He knew that he had to play his role if he wanted to survive but he was so angry, he couldn't make himself take part of this craziness. He heard the door close behind them and he sighed in relief when Jeremy locked it from the other side. They were trapped but at least he didn't have to face Jeremy for a while.

"You're here" Danny muttered.

"I am, honey" Kurt smiled, blinking hard to fight back his tears. "Everything will be fine."

"Blaine?" Danny asked after a while.

Kurt's heart stopped for a moment. Blaine. He wished he could be here with them. He wouldn't let Jeremy hurt them.

"He will come for us" Kurt said in the end. "He just needs some more time."

"Tomorrow?" Danny asked.

"I hope so" Kurt whispered.

He knew deep inside that their chance of being rescued by Blaine and his team weren't the best but he believed that they would do everything they could to find them. He had to believe that there was a way out of here.

~ o ~

"He's had a really crappy life" Nick said as he read what he found about Jeremy. It was hard because most of his informations weren't public but he was the best, he knew how to find what they needed. "His mother died when he was 14. His father sent him to a fancy private school and then to collage. I guess they didn't see each other too often."

"Poor guy" Jeff said sarcastically. "I almost feel bad for him."

"I can't get every file about him but from the medicines he used, I would say he was treated with depression" Nick said. 

"And probably something else, too. People don't go crazy like this" David said.

"Oh" Nick said in surprise.

"What is it, honey?" Jeff asked as he got back behind Nick.

"His father wanted to leave him out of his will" Nick explained. "Jeremy couldn't produce an heir but it's a condition he has to fill if he wants the money and the company."

"That's freaking insane" Jeff said, imagining that Jeremy had come to the decision of kidnapping Danny to get himself a child.

"It still doesn't help us find them" Wes shook his head.

"I searched for Jeremy's properties but I found nothing" Nick said. "He must have a place where he keeps Kurt and Danny. Maybe he rented an apartment or a house."

"No."

All men turned to face Blaine who slowly walked into the room. It was the first time since Kurt's disappearance that Blaine came to talk to them. He had spent the previous hours getting through the house and finding every possible weapon they would need. The Warblers had never seen him like this before. 

"He keeps them somewhere safe where noone can find them" Blaine said. "He made sure to not leave any signs for us, the house is not on his name. Search for other family members or friends. It must be a place well hidden from everyone. Maybe in the woods."

"Got it" Nick nodded and started working on his computer again. "Uhm... there is a house not too far from here. It was his mother's and Jeremy's father tried to sell it but without success. It's been empty for the last ten years."

"It must be it" Jeff said excitedly.

"Get ready, gentlemen" Blaine said. "We have to hunt down that asshole."

~ o ~

Kurt hadn't had any sleep that night. How could he? He had been too scared and worried about Danny. Although the boy had gotten better soon, Kurt couldn't stop worrying about him. Who knew what Jeremy had given him, how it had affected him. There was noone around if Danny needed help and Kurt was pretty sure that Jeremy wouldn't bring them to the hospital. He would let Danny die sooner than giving them a chance to escape.

"Kurt?"

Kurt looked down at the boy in his arms. Danny was awake again and luckily, he didn't seem sick or anything. His eyes were focused and his motions not so slow anymore.

"How are you feeling, honey?" Kurt asked in concern.

"I'm fine" Danny muttered.

"Are you sure?" Kurt asked.

"My head hurts and I'm hungry" Danny admitted.

Kurt tightened his arms around the boy and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I will make you some breakfast, okay?" he said, although he wasn't sure when he would be able to make Danny something. They were still locked up in that room.

"When will we go home?" Danny asked.

Kurt sighed sadly. If he could answer the question...

"Blaine will come today" Danny said.

Kurt almost started to cry. He had stupidly promised him that Blaine would come for them, even if he couldn't be sure Blaine would find them at all. He was surely searching for them but there was no guarantee he would be able to find this place.

"Maybe" he said quietly.

"I don't want to stay here" Danny said and started crying. "I-I want to go home."

"I know, sweetie" Kurt said. "I will do everything I can to bring you home but you have to be a little more patient."

"I'm scared" Danny said.

"I know" Kurt nodded. Damn, it was so hard to stay strong. He wanted to cry with Danny but he couldn't do that. He would just scare him more. "But I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."

Soon after that, they heard footsteps heading towards the door of their cell and Danny quickly got behind Kurt to hide from Jeremy. When the door was fully open, Jeremy stepped inside and smiled at them.

"Ah, I see you're awake" he said. "It's time for breakfast."

Kurt slowly got up from the bed and helped Danny to get on his feet. The poor boy was shaking so badly that Kurt was afraid he would fall.

"It's okay" Kurt whispered to him.

"This way" Jeremy said and led them upstairs.

He led them into the room where he had caught Danny the previous day. Then the boy hadn't had a chance to look around but now he saw that it was a living room. He glanced at Kurt, seeking his reassurance. 

"The kitchen is over there, honey" Jeremy said. "I'm sure you will find everything you need for a delicious breakfast."

He reached out, grabbed Danny's arm and pulled him away from Kurt. Danny screamed, he tried to get away and back to Kurt who meant the only safety for him in this place but Jeremy held him securely. Kurt wanted to help him, he saw that. He took a step forward but then stopped for some reason Danny didn't understand.

"We are going to watch cartoons" Jeremy smiled but it didn't help Danny calm down at all. "Kurt will be ready soon and then we can join him in the dining room."

"He-he could help me" Kurt said hastily. He didn't want to leave Danny alone with Jeremy, not even for a few minutes. But he also knew that he would risk their lives if he didn't obey.

"It's been a few rough days for him. Let him watch TV" Jeremy replied.

Kurt looked down at Danny. He didn't say anything but his eyes were begging him not to leave him alone with Jeremy. Kurt crouched down beside him and pulled him into his arms.

"It's okay" he whispered.

"Don't leave me alone. Please" Danny begged.

Don't show your emotions, he told himself. Danny couldn't see how he felt, so he forced out a smile and stood up again.

"I will be quick" he said. "Just... a few minutes. I will make your favourite, okay?"

Betrayal... That was what he saw in Danny's eyes as he took a step back. His heart broke in that moment but he had to be strong.

"See? Everything is alright" Jeremy said and stepped closer to Kurt. "Kurt gives me a quick kiss and then he will make us breakfast."

"What?" Kurt asked with wide eyes.

"I deserve one, don't you think?" Jeremy asked.

He pulled up his shirt just enough for Kurt to see the gun attached to his belt. A little reminder for Kurt what would happen if he decided to do something stupid. Kurt closed his eyes for a second, gathered his strength and closed the distance between them. He told himself that it was just a play but it didn't help too much. He still felt sick when Jeremy's lips touched his.

Luckily, it was over soon. He didn't look at Jeremy, knowing that he wouldn't be able to hide how disgusted he felt. So he looked at Danny instead but he regretted it immediately. There were so many emotions he could see in Danny's eyes but hatred was one of the strongests. No wonder, though. Danny couldn't understand what was really going on.

Kurt fled into the kitchen as soon as possible and went straight to the counter, afraid that he would throw up. He leaned down and as he took a deep breath, he let himself break down, even if it couldn't last longer than a minute. He had to be quick, so he didn't leave Danny too long with Jeremy but he needed this, too. He felt so desperate and scared, he couldn't act like everything was right any longer.

Just when he took a deep breath and prepared himself to face Jeremy again, he was grabbed from behind and a hand was slapped over his mouth to silence him. 

"Shh, it's me."

Kurt recognized Blaine's voice immediately and relaxed in his hold, releasing a quiet sob. Blaine let go of him but he was ready to catch Kurt if he collapsed. It never happened, though. Kurt inhaled deeply and turned around to hug Blaine. He so needed him right now.

"Blaine..." he whispered, worried that Jeremy would hear them.

"It's okay" Blaine said. "He can't hurt you anymore."

He pulled back slightly. Although he wanted to hold Kurt forever, they weren't done here. Danny was still inside with the man.

"Go with Jeff and Nick" Blaine said. "They will bring you out of here."

"No!" Kurt said hastily and grabbed Blaine's shirt. "Danny is in the living room with him. I can't let him..."

"I will deal with Jeremy but I can't do that if you're around" Blaine explained. "Go. I promise that I won't let him hurt Danny."

"But..."

"Come on, Kurt" Jeff said impatiently. He knew how hard it must have been for Kurt but they really didn't have time to waste.

"Be careful" Kurt said. "He has a gun."

"So do I" Blaine muttered as he turned around. It was time to face Jeremy.

He hoped that David and Wes had enough time to open the front door, so they would join him from the other side like they had agreed. He had to get Jeremy's weapon first and when it was done, they could get Danny out of the house safely. But before he could open the door, he heard Danny's cry and he freeze. Jeremy couldn't know about them, right? 

"Show yourself."

Well, he possibly did.

Blaine opened the door and walked inside. Jeremy was standing in the middle of the room and held Danny in his tight grip in front of him. Blaine saw red when he noticed the gun pressed to Danny's head. The boy was shaking and crying and he wanted to free him so badly...

"You think I'm stupid?" Jeremy said angrily. "I have cameras everywhere! You can't just sneak into my house without me knowing about it."

"Let him go, Jeremy" Blaine said as he took a step forward.

He saw that Wes and David finally arrived and were ready to move on the other side of the room. Jeremy probably know that, too, but he focused on Blaine. 

"I want you to tell your friends to bring Kurt back here" Jeremy said. "Then you all get out of my house and leave us alone."

"You know that I can't do that" Blaine said. Another step.

"You are so fucking annoying" Jeremy hissed. "I tried to get rid of you so many times but you just can't get it that we don't need you."

"Maybe I don't" Blaine said. Another step. "But it's an important question and I think we should talk about it."

"I don't want to talk!" Jeremy shouted.

"You don't want to hurt Danny" Blaine said quietly. "You've been angry with me this whole time. You wanted Kurt so badly and I just came into the picture and got him for myself. It's me you want to hurt."

"You have no idea how much" Jeremy said.

Blaine took another step forward and now he was close enough. He only had to anger Jeremy some more and then he could free Danny from his hold. It was risky but it was his only chance.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Blaine asked. "I'm here."

"I'm not stupid" Jeremy shook his head and glanced down to make sure the gun was still in its place.

"You are if you think I will leave and never come back" Blaine said. "Kurt is mine. You can't have him, don't you see? He would never be completely yours, not until he knows I'm still out there and we have a chance to be together again. Not that I would let you have him, by the way."

"He's already mine!" Jeremy shouted.

"Really? Because last time I checked, he was on his way to my car" Blaine smiled.

And that was the moment. Jeremy was blinded by anger and he didn't know what he was doing. He pulled the gun away from Danny's head, to shoot Blaine instead. But Blaine grabbed his wrist before he could pull the trigger and kept his hand steadily.

"Now!" Blaine shouted to the others.

He couldn't see much of the others, he had to keep his eyes on Jeremy but Danny was still crying and it was enough to listen to his voice to know that the guys led him away from them.

"I will kill you" Jeremy hissed.

"I will kill you first" Blaine replied.

~ o ~

It seemed like forever until they waited for the others. Jeff and Nick had led him away from the house and to the trees nearby, where they could still see the house but Kurt was in safety. Not that he wanted to. He should have been inside with the others and not waiting out here. He was so worried, he had to know that the others were alright.

"We have to go back" Kurt said.

"No" Jeff replied.

"This is insane! We can't just wait..."

BANG!

Kurt froze. Was it... Could it really be a...

"Oh, my God" Kurt cried.

"Stay here" Jeff said seriously and turned towards the house.

"No! I have to go in there!" Kurt shouted.

"Nick" Jeff turned to his boyfriend. They so didn't have time for this. Nick nodded and wrapped his arms around Kurt from behind to restrain him.

"Let me go, Nick, or I swear I..."

Kurt was interrupted again, this time by the opening of the door. For a second, noone moved. They couldn't see who was on the other side of the door, even if they all knew deep inside that Jeremy couldn't be it. He was outnumbered and they had only heard one shot. It must have been one of the Warblers.

Kurt cried out in relief as Blaine stepped through the door with Danny in his arms. Nick immediately let go of Kurt and the man didn't waste any time, he ran straight to his loved ones. 

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked from Blaine as he pulled Danny into his arms and checked him over, searching for possible injuries.

"I'm perfectly fine" Blaine said.

Danny didn't seem to be hurt either, at least not physically. Kurt knew that it wasn't the end but they could worry about the rest later. He had to make sure they were safe from Jeremy first.

"What about... him?" he asked quietly. "I-I heard a shot. Is he dead?"

"You fucking asshole! You broke my nose!"

"I guess he wants to be" Blaine answered as Wes and David led Jeremy out of the house, holding his arms behind his back. His face was covered in blood but Kurt guessed it was because of his broken nose. Although the guys held him securely, he unconsciously tightened his arms around Danny and took a few steps back.

"I will find you! You won't be able to hide because I will find you and go after you and..."

Blaine turned so quickly that Jeremy didn't even see his fist flying towards his face, not until it collided with his nose again. Blaine smiled triumphantly when Jeremy's head fell back and he finally went silent.

"Keep your eyes on him until the police arrives" Blaine told the others and led Kurt away from the Warblers and especially Jeremy.

When they got behind the house, he helped Kurt get down onto his knees with Danny still in his arms. The boy had gone perfectly still, his quiet sobs and his tight grip on Kurt's shirt were the only signs that he hadn't blacked out. Blaine knelt down beside Kurt and did the same his boyfriend had done when they had gotten out of the house: he checked him and Danny over, worried of what he would find.

"We are fine" Kurt reassured him. 

He would be, with time, for sure. But what about Danny? He had no idea.

"I-I'm fine" Danny said quietly.

"You were so brave in there" Blaine smiled at the boy and reached out to run his fingers through his hair.

Danny didn't reply this time. He closed his eyes and the adults couldn't tell if he still paid attention. Kurt rubbed his back, hoping that it would Danny calm down. 

"I'm so sorry" he said as he turned to Blaine. "I wanted to tell you, I really did, but..."

"I know" Blaine interrupted him. "Let's not talk about it now, okay? You are both fine, that's all that matters."

Kurt nodded and leaned his head down onto Blaine's shoulder. He was right. They had to focus on the fact that they all survived, they weren't injured and they were finally all together again. That was all that mattered.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> Here is the last chapter of this story. There's only an epilogue left, and since I'm going to go on holiday, I will post it within the next two days, as well as the first chapter of the sequel called Haunting Past.  
> Enjoy!

"What are you thinking about, Mr Hummel?"

Kurt blinked and forced himself to focus on the woman in front of him. He found it so hard to talk to her when he found their sessions completely pointless. He was fine. He was perfectly fine and he didn't need help. Not like his son.

"Danny" he answered quietly.

"Are you scared of losing him again?" his therapist asked.

"No" Kurt replied. "Okay, that's not completely true. I'm scared that it could happen again but I don't really think about it. I'm scared that..."

Kurt fell silent. It was hard to explain what made him worried. Danny seemed fine, he was healthy, he didn't have nightmares or anything Kurt had been worried about, but still... Something wasn't right with his kid. He couldn't explain what it was but he could feel it.

The first few days after going home had been hard. Danny had had to stay in the hospital for a whole day, they had run several tests on him to make sure he was alright, scaring Kurt to death. But then Danny had been released and they could finally go home. Everything should have been right after that. They were finally together, Jeremy was gone, nothing could happen to them anymore, especially with the Warblers around, who had made sure Kurt and Danny were never alone.

Kurt hadn't had any sleep in those few days. He had always been around Danny, afraid that the boy's nightmares would return, just like before. But there was no sign of them. Danny slept peacefully every single night and after the third night, Blaine convinced Kurt to move back to his own room and have some rest as well. 

And then there were these sessions with their therapists. Although it was hard for Kurt to talk about those horrible days, Danny did everything his therapist asked him to do. He didn't talk but he drew a lot, and everyone told Kurt that Danny should be fine.

Still, something wasn't right. He couldn't explain it but he felt deep inside.

"Yes, Mr Hummel?"

Kurt took a deep breath. How could he explain it?

"I'm scared that I lost him" Kurt said quietly.

"Danny is back with you, Mr Hummel" his therapist said gently. "Noone can take him away from you again."

"That's not what I mean" Kurt said. "He is... distant. Something has changed and I don't know what to do to make it better."

"Give him time" the woman replied. "He will talk about his feelings once he's ready."

"I hope so" Kurt sighed. He just wanted his family back, nothing more. 

~ o ~

The next evening, Blaine found Kurt leaning against the doorframe, watching Danny in complete silence. The boy was sitting at the dining table, playing with his action figures. Blaine stepped to Kurt, making sure he made enough noise for the man to hear him, before sneaking his arms around Kurt from behind. They had some trouble being intimate again. When Blaine made the wrong move, he scared Kurt, even if his boyfriend didn't say anything. He could see the fear in Kurt's eyes, the reminder of that horrible day when he had almost lost the man he loved. 

This time, though, Kurt leaned his head back to rest on Blaine's shoulder and sighed heavily.

"Is everything alright?" Blaine asked in concern.

"He's so quiet" Kurt whispered.

"I think he's fine" Blaine said as he looked at Danny. Nothing seemed out of order, the boy was playing with his toys like usually.

"No" Kurt said. "He isn't."

He got out of Blaine's arms and stepped into the room. Danny looked up briefly but then turned back to his toys. Kurt sat down beside him and seconds later, he felt Blaine's hands on his shoulders. He smiled slightly. Blaine was always there for them, especially now that they needed him the most.

"What is this?" Blaine asked as he pointed at one of the figures.

"A monster" Danny replied.

Kurt tensed. It wasn't right, Danny shouldn't play with monsters, he knew that something was wrong...

"And the other one?" Blaine asked, not noticing Kurt's panic. "Is it a superhero? Are they fighting?"

"He saves me from the monster" Danny answered quietly.

"Wow, he must be really cool" Blaine smiled.

"Yes" Danny nodded and looked up at Blaine. "It's you."

"Me?" Blaine asked in surprise.

"You save people from monsters, right?" Danny smiled. "Like you saved me and Kurt."

He glanced at Kurt and his smile disappeared. Kurt frowned, a horrible thought crossing his mind. Maybe he knew what was wrong with Danny. But he didn't want it, it couldn't happen...

"Do you want us to play with you?" Blaine asked as he sat down to the table.

"You can be the superhero" Danny said and pushed one toy into Blaine's hand before turning to Kurt.

"And I'm the monster" Kurt whispered as he took the other toy from Danny. He finally understood.

~ o ~

One morning, when Kurt woke up and went to find Blaine, he found the man in the living room, in the middle of a phone call. He didn't need much time to figure out that Blaine was talking to Puck.

"I know but I can't leave them. Not now" Blaine sighed.

Kurt took a few careful steps forward, watching Blaine. In the craziness with Jeremy, he had completely forgotten about Blaine's career. 

"Thanks. I will let you know" Blaine said. "Yeah. I will tell him."

Blaine disconnected the call and turned around, his eyes widening when he found Kurt right in front of him.

"Was it Puck?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah. He wants to know when I will be able to join the band" Blaine said.

"You can leave, you know" Kurt said quietly. "We are fine."

"I won't leave you, not until I'm perfectly sure you will be okay without me" Blaine said.

"Blaine, we are fine" Kurt said and stepped forward to hug Blaine. "And you have to go. They can't wait for you forever."

"Then they will find somebody else" Blaine shrugged.

"No" Kurt said seriously. "I won't let you do this."

"I don't need the Puckers" Blaine smiled. "I have you and Danny, that's the most important."

"Blaine..."

"Hey, it's okay" Blaine said. "Plans change. What I need right now is to fix your relationship with your son."

"You noticed it, too" Kurt sighed heavily.

"I think we waited long enough. It's time to make something and I might have the perfect idea how to fix things."

"What do you have in your mind?" Kurt frowned.

"Don't worry. You will love it" Blaine replied.

Blaine made him coffee and then sent Kurt out of the kitchen. Kurt didn't understand a thing but didn't question Blaine. He was completely clueless, he had no idea what he should do to make Danny trust him again. He knew that Danny was angry with him for some reason, he had tried to talk to him about it but Danny had said that everything was fine. It was a lie, though. Kurt could feel that something had gone wrong between them and he had a horrible idea what it could be.

Just when Kurt decided to check on Blaine and figure out what he was doing, Danny walked down the stairs, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Good morning, honey" Kurt smiled. 

"Good morning" Danny said quietly.

Kurt sighed as the boy passed him, without giving him a hug like he used to do before. He went straight to the kitchen's door.

"Good morning" Blaine greeted him when he heard Danny's footsteps and finally opened the door. "I hope you're hungry because I have something delicious for you."

"Really?" Danny smiled.

"Of course" Blaine nodded. "Go, call Kurt."

Danny nodded and slowly turned back around. Kurt was already there beside him, smiled at the boy and put a hand on his shoulder. 

"Let's see what Blaine has for us, okay?" Kurt said.

Danny nodded and pulled away from him, silently walking through the kitchen's door. Kurt blinked back his tears as he followed him. As the days passed, Danny's behaviour became more and more obvious. He was certainly angry with him.

"Okay, sit down" Blaine said. "Since we all know what a bad cook I am, I asked Nick and Jeff to pick this up for us."

He grabbed a box from the counter and placed it to the center of the table. Kurt smiled as he saw the familiar emblem of their favourite place. He knew exactly what was in the box.

"Your favourite pancakes" Blaine said as he opened the box.

Kurt looked at Danny, his smile disappearing the second he saw how scared Danny seemed.

"Danny, what's wrong?" he asked in concern.

Danny didn't reply. He started shaking and the first teardrops escaped his eyes.

"Danny..."

Kurt tried to pull him into his arms but Danny pushed him away and backed away from the table. Both adults watched him in alarm, not knowing what to do. They didn't even know why Danny's behaviour changed so quickly.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Kurt asked gently as he took careful steps towards Danny.

Danny didn't answer. As his back hit the wall, Danny crouched down, pulling his knees up to his chest.

"Danny, you're scaring me..." Kurt said desperately.

Blaine had seen too many things in his life to understand what was going on. He should have known that the second he saw the fear in Danny's eyes. He quickly looked around, trying to find whatever scared the boy. He knew that it was something that reminded him on the days he had spent with Jeremy. Something that made him relive those horrible days again. It didn't take him long to realise that he had caused this with the breakfast he had ordered from their place. Jeremy had known about it, Blaine remembered that he had bought Danny pancakes when he had played sick earlier. It had to be it.

Blaine grabbed the box and practically threw it out of the open back door, not caring where it landed. He could clean up the mess later but first he had to take care of this.

"Danny, look at me" he said quietly as he walked back to Kurt and Danny, moving slowly to not scare the boy. "Open your eyes and look at me."

Danny squeezed his eyes shut for a moment but to Blaine's relief, he open them soon and looked up at him.

"Good boy" Blaine smiled. "Deep breaths, okay? In and out. Slowly."

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked in concern.

Blaine silenced him with a wave of his hand. He could explain this later, once Danny calmed down.

"Very good" Blaine continued. "Are you feeling better?"

Danny nodded, still not saying a word.

"He isn't here anymore" Blaine said. "He's in jail, he's locked up and he won't be able to get to you again."

"He-he said..." Danny started but he was unable to continue.

"I know" Blaine said gently. "He said some very stupid things. He's crazy, you can't believe him."

"I-I don't understand!" Danny cried out suddenly.

"What, honey?" Kurt asked.

Danny turned to him and in that moment, he looked exactly like when Kurt had been forced to leave him with Jeremy. He felt betrayed.

"Why did you do it?" Danny asked.

"Danny, I..."

"I thought you loved me!" Danny shouted.

"Danny, calm down" Blaine said slowly. "There are things you don't understand. It's okay, we should have explained them to you but we..."

"You left me! You knew I was scared and you left me with him!" Danny said, not hearing Blaine at all. He had kept this hidden for so long and now he was unable to stop himself. He was confused and needed answers.

"He didn't have a choice" Blaine replied.

"No. He's right" Kurt said quietly.

"Kurt, we both know that..."

"I was stupid" Kurt said. "I didn't realise that we were in danger. That you were in danger. I never thought that he would go after you. I know that I'm responsible for what happened to you and I understand if you're angry. Believe me, I am, too."

Danny blinked in surprise. That wasn't the answer he expected.

"You have to understand one thing, though" Kurt continued. "I never intended to hurt you in any way. I love you, Danny. You're like my own son and there's nothing that could change that. Even then, when I was forced to leave you, I only thought about you. I had to keep you safe. Even if it broke my heart to leave you with him."

"Why did you?" Danny asked quietly.

Kurt looked at Blaine for support. His boyfriend knew everything, of course, Kurt had told him that night when they had spent awake, lying in Kurt's bed together, worried about Danny.

"Jeremy forced Kurt to make things for him" Blaine said slowly, careful to not say too much. "He threatened him to hurt you if he didn't obey. Kurt had no choice, he had to do what Jeremy told him if he wanted to keep you safe."

"You kissed him" Danny said as he turned to Kurt. 

"I had to" Kurt whispered, shivering at the thought.

"Danny, you believe me, right?" Blaine asked and continued when the boy nodded. "I swear that everything Kurt did that day was not because he liked Jeremy but because he loves you so much and couldn't let you get hurt."

Danny looked back at Kurt again and the man could see that the emotions from earlier were all gone. Danny, even if he was too young to understand everything, seemingly accepted their explanation and why Kurt had done those things.

"You should have seen him" Blaine said. "Nick and Jeff had to drag him out of the house because he wanted to get to you so badly and even then he tried to get back inside. He almost fought down my best bodyguards, can you believe it?"

"Really?" Danny smiled.

"It wasn't that bad" Kurt shrugged. "You came out before I had a chance but I guess I was ready to beat them."

Suddenly, Danny pushed himself away from the wall and right into Kurt's arms. Kurt almost cried as he tightened his arms around his child. He had been so scared that he would lose Danny and now that he had another chance, he knew for sure that he wouldn't let anything happen to him again. 

"I love you" Danny said.

"I love you" Kurt said and kissed his forehead before turning to Blaine. "And you, too."

"Me, too" Danny said happily.

"Wow" Blaine laughed. "Now that we love each other that much, is somebody hungry? We still have some eggs in the fridge if you're interested."

Kurt and Danny looked at each other.

"I think we will make it" Kurt said. "Just to make sure we have something to eat this morning."

"Fine" Blaine sighed.

"I can show you how to cook" Danny volunteered.

"I think I will need your help" Blaine nodded. "Especially if I don't move to LA."

"You won't be a rockstar?" Danny asked in confusion.

"I'm not sure" Blaine sighed.

Kurt turned away from them to get the eggs, already thinking about how he could change Blaine's mind. Luckily, he had some ideas.

~ o ~

Jeff absolutely loved living together with Nick. He had been afraid that Nick wasn't ready for this step but to his surprise, his boyfriend had agreed without thinking about his offer and had moved in the next day. It was the best thing that could happen to him. He woke up beside Nick every day, they had coffee together, got ready for work together, spent the evenings together... yeah, Jeff loved the situation. 

It was Sunday morning and thanks to the new employees they had hired, they had the whole weekend for themselves. Jeff sighed happily as he turned around in the bed and pulled a still sleeping Nick into his arms, kissing his forehead. He smiled as Nick muttered something and snuggled deeper into his embrace. It was such a good way to spend the morning and Jeff couldn't wait for the rest of the day.

After a few minutes, Nick opened his eyes and smiled at him when he realised that Jeff was holding him in his arms.

"Good morning" Nick said.

"Morning, my darling" Jeff said and leaned down to kiss his boyfriend. "Coffee?"

"Could we stay like this a little longer?" Nick asked.

"Of course" Jeff nodded. "Whatever you want."

"You shouldn't have said that" Nick said. Jeff felt a gentle hand on his chest and then it started moving downwards as Nick pulled him into another kiss.

"I love you so much" Jeff whispered as Nick's talented hand found his cock and he moved his own hands down his boyfriend's back.

Suddenly, they heard a loud bang on the front door, making them stop.

"I guess we have to check who it is" Nick sighed.

"No" Jeff said and pulled his boyfriend back into his arms. "They will go away. Just be quiet."

"Guys, I know you're in there! Open the door!"

Jeff rolled his eyes when he heard Wes' voice. He hoped that it was an emergency because he hated being disturbed on his days off.

"Coming" Jeff shouted and got out of the bed, searching for their clothes. He pulled up his pants and without wasting a second to find his shirt, he walked to the door to open it. 

"Finally" Wes said as he and David walked inside. "I called you about a dozen times."

"We were busy" Jeff replied.

"I bet you were" David smirked.

"What's up, guys?" Nick asked as he walked out of the bedroom, pushing a shirt into Jeff's hands.

"Kurt called me this morning" Wes explained. "It looks like Blaine changed his mind about the band. He doesn't want to leave anymore."

"What?" Jeff asked.

"This is horrible!" Nick said. "He wanted this so much. Why did he change his mind?"

"Because he doesn't want to leave Kurt and Danny" David answered. "Kurt asked for our help. He doesn't want Blaine to ruin his chance to be famous."

"What would they do without us?" Jeff shook his head. "I guess we have to get ready."

"As quickly as possible, yes" Wes nodded.

Jeff sighed. So much for a peaceful Sunday with his boyfriend. 

~ o ~

Blaine was somewhat disappointed when he realised Kurt was already gone when he woke up. He hoped that they would have some private time but he understood that his boyfriend wanted to spend as much time with his son as possible. Since their conversation the other day, things seemed to get back to normal. Kurt and Danny were always together, they laughed and sang just like before. It was so great to see them like this.

Blaine got dressed and left the room to find the others. He walked down the stairs, frowning when he heard loud noises coming from the kitchen. He could tell that it wasn't just Kurt and Danny but he didn't remember inviting anyone over.

"Hey, Blaine" Jeff greeted him as he walked through the front door.

"Hey, Jeff" Blaine replied without thinking. Wait a second... "What are you doing here?"

"Working. What do you think?" Jeff asked as if it was obvious. "I checked all the windows and doors. Everything is perfectly fine."

"What the hell is going on here?" Blaine muttered as Jeff left to join the others in the kitchen. After a few seconds, Blaine followed him, determined to find out what was going on.

"Good morning" Kurt smiled and went to kiss him, seemingly perfectly fine with the Warblers' presence in his home.

"Would please somebody tell me what's going on?" Blaine asked.

"I already told you" Jeff said slowly. "We are bodyguards, remember? Kurt hired us."

"Why? And why didn't you tell me?" Blaine asked as he turned to Kurt, more confused than ever. "Is there something you don't tell me?"

"Of course not, honey" Kurt smiled. "You were so worried about our safety, I thought it would be a good idea to hire a few bodyguards."

"You don't need bodyguards" Blaine said. "I'm here to keep you safe."

"You need a break" Kurt shrugged. "I can see how tired you are, you certainly have to rest. And with the guys around, you don't have to worry about us."

Kurt seemed too innocent for Blaine. He could tell that there was something else and he would find out what it was.

He didn't need much time to figure out what it was about. Having the Warblers around was the first step but Kurt didn't stop there. As Blaine walked into the kitchen the other day to find out what they needed for lunch, he found Mercedes already working in the kitchen, telling him that she came over to help them, so they had some free time for each other. Rachel came that afternoon, too, to take Kurt and Danny out for a coffee and milkshake. Two days later, Tina appeared in their living room and soon after that, Blaine was left alone in the house again because Kurt made program without him, just like the previous days. He caught Jeff's smirk as they walked through the door and then he finally understood. Kurt wanted to get rid of him.

He chose that night to ask Kurt about his weird behaviour and why he ignored Blaine like this. He was afraid that Kurt's feelings changed and he had to do something if he didn't want to lose Kurt.

"We need to talk" Blaine said seriously as he stepped into their bedroom and closed the door.

"Do we?" Kurt asked innocently.

"Kurt, what's going on?" Blaine asked as he sat down beside his boyfriend. "It feels like you want to get rid of me. Don't you want to be with me anymore?"

"Of course I do" Kurt smiled as he took Blaine's hand. "I love you, Blaine."

"Then why are you doing this?" Blaine asked.

"I can't believe you don't get it" Kurt shook his head.

"Oh" Blaine said finally. "Is this about the band?"

"I can't let you ruin your life" Kurt said quietly.

"But I'm happy like this" Blaine said. "I can't leave you, it wouldn't be right."

"Blaine, we already discussed this. We will go after you soon and we will be together again. But you have to leave. You have to live for your dreams, even if it means we have to be apart for a while" Kurt said.

"What if something happens to you?" Blaine asked in concern.

"We have the guys to keep us safe" Kurt replied.

"But what if..."

"Hey" Kurt cut in, pressing his index finger to Blaine's lips to silence him. "We will be fine. We love each other and nothing can change that. We will be happy, even if we can't always be together. I know we can make it."

"I'm scared" Blaine admitted.

"I know" Kurt smiled. "I know you're doing this because you're afraid of your new life but you don't have to be scared. I'm here for you, I will always be."

"What if I screw up?" Blaine asked.

"You can always come back" Kurt said. "You still have your team if things in Los Angeles doesn't work out. But you have to try."

Blaine sighed heavily. He knew that Kurt was right but it was still so hard.

"I guess I don't have a choice" he said in the end.

"Of course you do" Kurt smiled. "But we both know that you want this."

"I think I should call Puck" Blaine sighed.

"As soon as possible" Kurt nodded.

~ o ~

Two days later, they were all in the living room. Blaine looked down at his bag, sighing heavily. It was time to leave if he wanted to catch his flight. 

"You look like you're heading to your execution" Jeff smiled at his nervous friend.

"That's exactly how I'm feeling right now" Blaine admitted.

"You will be fine" Jeff said and went to hug Blaine. "Say goodbye. Los Angeles is waiting for you."

"You will check on them, right?" Blaine asked in concern.

"Every single day" Nick said as he gave his friend a hug. "Now hurry up!"

Blaine sighed as he walked to Kurt and pulled him into his arms.

"I will miss you" he said.

"I will miss you, too" Kurt said. "But we're gonna see each other in two weeks and until then, we will call each other every single day."

"Okay" Blaine nodded.

"Here" Danny said as he pressed one of his favourite toys into Blaine's hand. "You can sleep with it, so you won't be scared alone."

Blaine laughed and crouched down to hug the boy.

"Keep Kurt safe, okay?" he said.

"I will!" Danny nodded.

"Come on, we have to go" Wes said as he stepped forward.

Blaine turned around and took a few heavy steps towards the door where David was already waiting for him. They had agreed that Jeff and Nick would stay with Kurt and the others helped Blaine with his luggage. Blaine made his way to the car, looking back after every step. It was so hard to leave Kurt and Danny.

"Call me when you arrive" Kurt called after him.

"I will" Blaine said. 

He ran back once more to give Kurt a quick kiss and hug him and Danny before going back to the car. He got in and shut the door before he could run back to the others again, sighing heavily. 

"You will see them soon" Wes said as he started the car.

Blaine nodded but kept his eyes on his family, right until they disappeared from his eyes. He knew that he would see them soon but it didn't make him feel better at all.

"Don't be so sad" David smiled. "This is a great opportunity, Blaine. You made the right decision."

Blaine knew he was right. Things seemed so scary right now but it was what he wanted to do. It was his dream and finally it was coming true, thanks to his amazing boyfriend. They would be fine, he knew that. He could feel it deep inside.

"Los Angeles, here I come" Blaine smiled as he leaned back on his seat. He couldn't wait to be on the stage with his band and he knew for sure that Kurt would be there, too, cheering in the first row. Just like in his dreams.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> So this is the last update of this story. Thank you for you all for reading and commenting my first story on this site! If you want to read more, I'm gonna post the first chapter of the sequel soon. It's called Haunting Past.

Three years later

Kurt rubbed his tired eyes as he went to check on the decoration one more time. He was nervous like hell. It was a very important day and he wanted to make everything perfect. It had to be perfect, for them.

"Shouldn't you change your clothes? It's almost time."

Kurt smiled as he felt Blaine's arms sneaking around him from behind and he leaned into the touch for a second before turning around to check Blaine's clothes.

And gasped in horror.

"You don't want to wear these, right?" he asked slowly.

"I do. Why?" Blaine asked.

"Because the director of the company can't wear jeans and ripped shirt for the most important event of the year!" Kurt said.

"Everyone knows that I don't do anything but sign a few papers" Blaine shrugged. "Besides, a suit would ruin my bad boy image."

"Nobody would know" Kurt said.

"Are you sure?" Blaine asked and grabbed Kurt's shoulders to turn him around. "The first reporters are already here and I expect a lot more. We will be all over the papers tomorrow."

Kurt sighed tiredly and rubbed his eyes again. It was too much, even for him, he just couldn't get used to the attention their positions brought into their life. Since over the years they had become the most successful celebrity couple of the states, they couldn't take a single step without the paparazzi following them. Everyone wanted to know every single detail of their lives but it was no surprise: Blaine, playing in Puck's band and leading one of the biggest guarding companies, was seemingly the most interesting person in the press' eyes and they paid almost as much attention to Kurt's success as well. So they were constantly watched and it didn't only mean being followed by their bodyguards.

"Have you seen the others?" Blaine asked to change topic.

"Wes and David are already here. I saw them at the stage. I guess Jeff and Nick will be late but you know them" Kurt said.

"Can you blame them? Damn, I'm so happy I'm not in their place" Blaine smiled.

"Me, too" Kurt nodded.

"Go, get changed, honey" Blaine said and gave Kurt a quick kiss. "I will go and talk to the others."

"I will be back in no time" Kurt said, although Blaine knew very well what it meant. Kurt would spend at least half an hour in his room and even after that, he would check over Danny and probably his father as well. Kurt really wanted to make this evening unforgettable for them. It wasn't like Blaine didn't like bossy Kurt... Not at all. But he liked him a lot more when there weren't so many people around.

"Blaine!" Wes shouted as he noticed his friend and went to hug him. "It's so good to see you."

"You too, guys" Blaine said.

"How was Asia?" David asked.

"Beautiful" Blaine answered. "I wish we had had more time for sightseeing but our schedule was crazy. I still hope I can go back someday soon, with Kurt and Danny this time."

"At least you have company" Wes grimanced.

"You didn't bring anyone?" Blaine asked.

"No" David answered for his friend. "Let's say our double blind date didn't really work out."

"Well, I know for sure that there will be a few beautiful ladies tonight, so keep your eyes open" Blaine winked.

"Believe me, we will" Wes said. "You have no idea how much I want a real relationship for change."

"Be careful what you wish for" David smiled as he looked at something behind Blaine's back. "Learn from Jeff."

Blaine couldn't suppress a laugh as Jeff walked into the room, struggling with the two bags he carried and his 10-month-old triplets in his arms.

"Hello, would you get out of the way?" Jeff asked in frustration, desperate to find a place where he could put down his kids. "I'm with babies, can't you see?"

"How are they doing?" Blaine asked as he turned back to his friends when Jeff found a couch and finally freed his arms from the babies.

"Nick ran back to work because he couldn't stand staying home with the kids all day but Jeff is doing fine so far" Wes answered. "Or at least he tries to seem fine."

"It must be a nightmare" David muttered. 

"Well, he always wanted three kids" Blaine shrugged. He wanted to go to Jeff to greet him, too, but someone petted his shoulder from behind and he turned around to see who it was. "Burt!"

"Hello, son" Burt smiled as he pulled Blaine into a hug. "Where did you leave the others?"

"Kurt went to change and I guess Danny is still struggling with his hair" Blaine said.

"He reminds me on someone" Carole smirked as she hugged Blaine as well. "I'm glad you're back. Kurt couldn't stop talking about how much he missed you."

"I know, it was a hard few months for us but I will spend the rest of the year here, so I can make up for everything" Blaine said. 

"You will visit us, too, I hope" Burt said.

"Of course" Blaine nodded. "I so need a few days of fishing."

"You're not the only one" Burt smiled.

On the other side of the room, Kurt and Danny finally stepped inside, holding each other's hands. Danny looked around nervously, hiding behind Kurt as he saw the crowd gathering in the room.

"Everyone will see how awful my hair is" the boy said in concern.

"Your hair is beautiful" Kurt said as he squeezed Danny's hand. "Come on, let's find grandpa."

But before they could take a step forward, they were greeted by Rachel, Mercedes and Tina, all of them looking absolutely breathtaking in their dresses.

"Oh, my God! You're beautiful!" Kurt gasped as he stepped forward to hug the girls.

"We had to look fabulous for your big night" Mercedes said. "Congratulations, by the way."

"It wasn't really me, you know" Kurt said.

"Without your support, Blaine wouldn't have gotten into the changes" Rachel pointed out.

"And without your money, they wouldn't be here tonight" Tina smiled.

"Yeah, and without our amazing manager, we wouldn't have had the money at all" Kurt winked.

"And don't forget your amazing friends who played babysitters when you were gone" Mercedes smiled.

"True" Kurt nodded. "Now if you would excuse us, ladies, we have to greet our other guests."

"Of course" Rachel nodded. "We will find ourselves free seats."

"Preferably at the bar" Tina sighed. "I may not have a date for tonight but I definitely need a drink."

"I agree" Mercedes said and grabbed the girls' hands. "Lead the way."

Jeff sighed in frustration, desperately shaking some soft toy in front of his kids who didn't seem to enjoy the show at all. They were hungry, of course, like always, and seemingly didn't understand that Nick needed some more time to get their bottles ready.

"Come on, kids, don't do this to me" Jeff said. "Daddy will be so angry with me if he finds us like this. At least smile a little."

It didn't work. Jeff sighed again and buried his face into the cushion. It wasn't like he didn't love his kids. It was what he had been dreaming about for so long but who knew they would get all three from one pregnancy? It had seemed like a nightmare back then but he had to realise, after the birth of the triplets, that it was far worse when they were actually around. There was no peace, they barely had time for anything, their house was a mess and they never had a good night sleep. But things would be easier soon... At least that was what people told him.

"Mr Sterling..."

Jeff took a deep breath and stood up, pressing his lips together in annoyance when he found one of the new bodyguards standing in front of him.

"What is it, Rian?" he asked.

"It's Brian" the guy said awkwardly.

"Close enough" Jeff said.

"Uhm... So I was thinking... Do you think I could have a picture with Mr Anderson?" Brian asked.

"You can't be serious" Jeff muttered.

"I'm a huge fan of the Puckers and I finally have a chance to meet him..."

"Listen, Brian" Jeff said, rubbing his eyes. "It's a huge event, the biggest of the Warblers' history. Mr Anderson just got home from a three months long tour and barely had time to see his own family. Do you think what he needs right now is your face and a camera shoved into his face?"

"No" Brian said quietly.

"You will get a chance to take a photo with him, okay?" Jeff said, feeling sorry for the guy. "But not tonight. You are working and you have to focus on your job. Because what are we?"

"Professionals" Brian said.

"That's right" Jeff nodded. "Now let's go back to work. I have to take care of my kids."

He turned around and to his horror, all the three kids were gone.

"Oh, shit" he said as he crouched down, looking for the babies on the ground.

He hated this game. Unfortunately, all his kids took after him and by that I don't only mean that they had Jeff's hair and eyes but also his nature. No wonder Nick freaked out when the kids started growing and they realised that they were the mini versions of Jeff. Since they stood up and were able to climb down from the bed, they had no peace at all. The kids disappeared in a second and although it wasn't a big deal in the house, Jeff found them eventuallyn but they weren't home right now and this place was so freaking huge.

"Don't panic" he told himself. "Just... get help."

Luckily for him, his friends weren't standing too far from him, so he ran to them and turned Baine around by his shoulder to look at him.

"Hey, Blaine, it's good to see you" he said quickly. "Have you seen any of my kids?"

"Which one is missing this time?" David asked knowingly.

"All of them" Jeff admitted.

"Nick will kill you if he finds out" Wes said in amusement.

"I know, that's why I need your help. Now" Jeff said.

He crouched down again and now with his friends' help, he went to find his triplets.

"Come on, little devils. Come to Papa" he said, hoping that the babies would hear his voice and listen to him for once in their lives.

"Jeff!" Blaine called out, waving with both of his hands, so Jeff could see him from the other side of the room.

"Are they there?" Jeff asked in concern and ran through the room in record time, sighing in relief when he found his kids sitting on the ground, watching Danny in amazement as the boy danced and sang for them.

Jeff took a deep breath and leaned against Blaine, suddenly feeling the need for support.

"Oh, dear God" Jeff sighed.

"I thought you always wanted three kids" Blaine laughed.

"Yeah, but not from the same pregnancy" Jeff replied.

"They are so cute" Blaine said as he watched the babies on the ground. He knew that they couldn't have one with Kurt because of their jobs, it was hard with Danny, too, even if he wasn't a small kid anymore, and they surely wouldn't be able to do it with another one. But it didn't mean he didn't like babies and he never dreamt about having one. Maybe one day, when Danny would be old enough. And until then, Jeff and Nick had enough babies for the whole team.

"There you are" Nick said as he pushed himself through the crowd, towards his family. "Why didn't you wait for me at the couch?"

"Because..."

"They wanted to see Danny" Blaine interrupted, saving Jeff from his husband.

Nick looked over Jeff's shoulder and smiled at the sight. The triplets loved Danny, he was like a big brother for them and the only one who could smooth them on their bad days. Now they were still lost in the impromtu show Danny threw for them.

"When they are like this, I feel like a want more children" Nick sighed dreamily.

Jeff gulped as he turned around to face his husband.

"More? You mean more kids?" he asked with wide eyes.

"Maybe we should have triplets again" Nick smirked.

"No freaking way" Jeff groaned.

"Relax, honey. I'm just teasing you" Nick said and pressed a quick kiss to Jeff's lips before stepping forward. "Alright, guys, who wants to help me feed the babies?"

"Oh, my God! Aren't they the cutest babies you've ever seen?"

Blaine smiled as Quinn and Puck walked closer to them, the couple's eyes on the babies on the ground.

"Hey, guys" he greeted them.

"They are so sweet" Quinn cooed as she crouched down beside the triplets. "Yours?"

"Yes" Jeff said proudly.

"Congratulations!" Puck said.

"I'm genuinely sorry" Quinn said at the same time.

"Why? It must be so cool" Puck said.

"Because you spend most of your time away from your family and have no idea how hard it is with three kids" Quinn said.

"Guys, we should feed the triplets quickly. It's time" Kurt said as he finally joined the others.

"I'm not sure I can do this" Blaine said as he turned to his boyfriend.

"You can" Kurt said reassuringly, squeezing Blaine's shoulders. "I trust you, honey, you will be great. Besides, I will be next to you the whole time."

"Okay... So Kurt and Blaine, you have this one" Jeff said as he pushed one of his daughters, not knowing which one, into Blaine's arms. "You two can have the other girl."

Quinn smiled as she pulled the little girl into her arms.

"And it means we have our beautiful son" Jeff smiled and grabbed the boy from the ground.

"Why do I have this feeling that you don't know your kids' name?" Blaine asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because he doesn't know" Nick sighed. "He knows which one is Gabriel because we only have one son but he has no idea which one is Katie and which one is Ellie."

"I do know the names of our kids" Jeff said. "And I know that Katie is in the pink dress and Ellie in the green one."

"You mean that Ellie is in the pink one and Katie in the green" Nick said slowly.

"Exactly. That's what I said" Jeff nodded.

Nick sighed and deciding to not waste any more time, he pushed the bottle into Gabriel's mouth without a word.

David and Wes watched them from across the room, leaning against the wall with their arms crossed in front of their chests.

"I can't believe that Blaine is happily together with Kurt, Nick and Jeff are also happily married and have insanely many children but we don't even have girlfriends" Wes sighed.

"Are you jealous?" David asked, smiling.

"Of course I am! Why can't we have those things?" Wes asked and pressed his head to the wall behind him. "At least we should find a few girls for this night. We deserve that much, right?"

David smiled as he turned his head and his eyes landed on the three friends of Kurt at the bar.

"I might have an idea" he said.

Wes looked towards the bar and his eyes widened when he spotted the three women.

"You can't be serious" he said.

"Why not? They are singles, they are hot... they are practically begging for us to keep them company" David said. "Come on."

David grabbed Wes' arm and led him to the girls who already had a few drinks and were in a very good mood.

"Hey, ladies" David said as he sat down beside Rachel. "I hope you don't mind if we join you."

"Both of you?" Tina asked, her eyes never leaving Wes.

"Uhm... yes?" Wes asked uncertainly.

"Come here, pretty boy" Tina said and grabbed Wes' tie to pull him closer.

"Live is great" David sighed, winking at Rachel and Mercedes.

Kurt, Blaine and Danny walked onto the stage together and Kurt went straight to the microphone. He waited until everyone went silent, so he could start to talk.

"Good evening, everyone. As you all know, this is a very important day of the Warblers' history. Ten years ago, my boyfriend, Blaine Anderson and his four friends decided to start a new business and they soon created the first team of the Warblers. It's not my job to tell you the whole story because luckily, we have the five of them here to tell us how we can be here today, celebrating the success of the Warbler Group. Ladies and gentlemen, Blaine Anderson" Kurt nodded and took a step back to give Blaine place at the microphone. Blaine waited until the room fell silent again and took a deep breath, focusing on his speech he had written with Kurt.

"Thank you" Blaine said. "Ten years... Wow. It's been a long journey and I still can't believe we did it. Ten years ago, on a rainy day in November, my friends from high school visited me in my small apartment in New York. We started talking and I don't remember where the idea came from, I think it was Jeff..."

Blaine glanced at his friend who nodded in agreement.

"...So Jeff came up with the idea that we should work together. I was a bodyguard then and we decided to continue that business as a team" Blaine said. "So that's where the Warblers come from. I would like to stop here and ask my friends to join me on the stage because this company is not only mine and we wouldn't have gotten so far without them. Nick, Jeff, David, Wes... Please, come up here."

The guests cheered as the men – along with Jeff and Nick's triplets – walked onto the stage to join Blaine.

"That's right. They deserve it" Blaine said and waited for another minute to be able to continue. "It wasn't always easy. We worked hard for that little money we got, we dealt with the craziest clients and even crazier bad guys."

Blaine stopped again, glancing at Kurt.

"But it was worth it" Blaine smiled. "I met my boyfriend when he hired our team to protect himself and his son. That was the best thing that could happen to me, I have to tell you. But we aren't here to talk about my private life right now. We are here to celebrate the success of the Warbler Group, the fruit of our work in the past ten years. It was Jeff and Nick again who came up with the idea of extending our company and try something new. Although I thought it was crazy, my boyfriend convinced me to try. Here I have to mention the financial support we got from Kurt Hummel for the frist steps. Without him, we would still work with five people."

"At least that's what he thinks" Jeff whispered to Nick.

Blaine looked back at his friend with a raised eyebrow but then turned back to the crowd.

"Anyway, we did it, as you can see. Our company started growing rapidly and now, after three years, we have five different departments and about 1000 employees. I would like to thank them all for their hard work. From the reports we get from our clients, I can tell you that our bodyguards are the best. As my friend Jeff likes to say, we are professionals. Everyone who works for this company" Blaine smiled.

There was so much he wanted to say but he could see that some people was bored and he couldn't keep it up for long.

"I guess I shouldn't bore you with our plans for the future. We will make a press release soon, so you will learn more about our next steps, but today is for celebration. Let me thank these amazing guys, Kurt, Danny, Wes, Nick, David and Jeff, that they were always by my side these past years. I honestly hope that we will always stay together" Blaine finished quietly.

"Oh, Blaine" Nick said and he stepped forward to hug his friend as the guests finished clapping and turned away from the stage.

"Yeah, honey, he's sweet and all but would you please get one of the kids back?" Jeff asked, fighting to keep all of his kids in his arms.

"Give me one" Kurt said and grabbed Gabe but Wes stepped forward at the same time and got one of the girls, just like Blaine did with the other one on his other side, so Jeff was left without babies, much to his relief.

"You can have them for the rest of the night" Jeff smiled.

"Sweet dreams, Jeff" Wes said and pushed the baby back into Jeff's arms. "Now if you would excuse me... There are a few ladies waiting for us."

"Ladies?" Kurt frowned.

"Yeah. Thank you for inviting them, Kurt" David winked and ran down from the stage with Wes following him closely.

Kurt shook his head as he watched the others hastily walk back to the girls who were waiting for them eagerly.

"Mr Hummel" Blaine said as he stepped to his boyfriend and pulled him into his arms. "There's a nice little room behind the stage if you want some alone time with me."

"Blaine!" Kurt gasped. "We can't do that now."

"Why not?" Blaine asked.

"Just go" Danny said easily. "I'm your bodyguard for tonight, I will make sure nobody disturbs you."

"Please, don't tell me you asked him for this" Kurt sighed as he looked at Blaine.

"He wanted to try out what it is like" Blaine shrugged.

"I thought you wanted to be an actor" Kurt frowned.

"Plans change" Danny shrugged. "It's still undecided. I have plenty of time until graduation, I can change my mind if I don't like the bodyguard business."

"I will teach you a few self-defence tricks" Blaine promised.

"Really?" Danny asked excitedly.

"Really" Blaine nodded. "Now go, get something to eat. I think I saw chocolate cookies on that table."

The word 'cookies' didn't even left Blaine's lips, Danny was already halfwy down form the stage.

"Although I would like to give you a long speech about how unhealthy those cookies are, I guess we should leave it for tomorrow and enjoy the party like our guests do" Kurt said slowly.

"Just one second" Blaine said as he pulled Kurt down from the stage and behind it, so noone could see them. Then he pulled Kurt close and kissed him, slowly and gently. "I love you."

"I love you, too" Kurt smiled.

"You have no idea how greateful I am that you supported me on the way" Blaine said.

"That's what people do for their loved ones" Kurt shrugged.

"I'm so lucky to have you" Blaine said.

"Yes, you are" Kurt said and gave Blaine one more quick kiss. "Come on. Let's celebrate."

Blaine looked around in the room as Kurt led him to the center of the dance floor and he pulled his boyfriend into his arms once again. They moved slowly to the song the band played in the background and Blaine took his time to watch his friends and their other guests enjoying the party. Kurt had done a great job but that was no surprise. He had the most amazing boyfriend of the world. Blaine smiled and tightened his arms around Kurt, believing that he was the happiest person alive.

And it was something nobody could take away from him.


End file.
